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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23393893">My Version of Sonic The Hedgehog</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jake_Witt/pseuds/Jake_Witt'>Jake_Witt</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon - Comics &amp; Cartoon Combination, Canon - Video Game, Canon Rewrite, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:15:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>33,377</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23393893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jake_Witt/pseuds/Jake_Witt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a writing practice project. Basically I want to bring up the best and worst of the Sonic The Hedgehog brand and remake the timeline.</p><p>From Gerald Robotnik’s Retirement to what I call “The Phantom Ruby series”.</p><p>There will be call backs to characters and concepts that can’t be included or that I may not want to be included.</p><p>Is the writing bad? Maybe. That is kind of the point. I want to be better later. Note: Writing is hard on this site for some reason so chapters are going to be shorter than planned.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Origins Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Canon: Nobody has fused eyes, despite how iconic it looks I think Movie Sonic is the best reference for most of these designs.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>he first sunflower of spring was crushed underfoot by the arrival of a mechanical army, each step killed the land as more robots appeared. These machines were bipedal, animal machinations and their mission is to capture creatures resembling them but it will not be complete.</p><p>One of these creatures, resembling a Hedgehog held the line with her older brother and his best friend, also hedgehogs. They lacked conventional weapons and protective gear like their colleges, rolling into balls to be thrown.</p><p>Lasers, arrows, and hedgehogs filled the sky as a war began to heat up on green hills and impossible terrain. Nobody had a clear advantage as injured were dragged off by robots and Mobians alike and broken scrap metal covered more ground than most.</p><p>The three brown hedgehogs regrouped, one in a purple and white jumpsuit spoke to the one in a light blue and gray jumpsuit, “Chuck, the medics can’t retrieve everyone!”</p><p>“Believe me Aleena, I know,” he said, brushing his mustache in thought. He looked to the third in a navy blue and red jumpsuit, “Jules, do you think the device is ready?”</p><p>Jules frowned, “It hasn’t been tested-”</p><p>“I will test it,” Aleena interjected. “It will be just like when we were kids, how bad can it be?”</p><p>“How bad? This isn’t a tire down a steep hill; you would be shot out of a cannon at what is likely several broke walls!”</p><p>“Let me!” Chuck pushed, “I am one percent roboticized so I should be like a cannonball!”</p><p>Jules and Aleena looked at each other and silently agreed.</p><p>Jules sighed, “I will ready the Spin Dash; emphasis on when you leave the barrel, you spin.”</p><p>A robot got to close, Aleena rolled into a ball as her brother Chuck lobbed her, the machine falline apart on collision.</p><p>They gasped, recognizing the robot. Maurice the Hedgehog, their father. They would have been in tears but it was not the first time they had to dismantle family, knowing who wasn’t in one piece was knowing who was gone forever.</p><p>It was then that a large shadow swept the land. Everyone watched in fear as the mad man behind their war appeared, his massive city in space eclipsed the sun itself.</p><p>The hedgehogs ran to the Spin Dash as the fighting stopped.</p><p>Every robot that could be heard, broadcast the voice of an old soul, “Greetings Mobians of the planet Mobius! My name is Gerald Robotnik, ruler of Robotropolis, formerly Mobotropolis City. Your resistance has been brought to my attention and I will consider returning your loved ones to their normal state of being and returning all war criminals on and off planet. I am issuing a challenge to whoever can board my Space Colony Ark. I am a fair human so whatever the Challenger needs for prep I will provide. You have two weeks to get up here.”</p><p>The robots turn, leaving wounded Mobians not packed away and retrieving broken parts. One robot remained, a timer displayed overhead. This wasn’t any robot; he was the leader of the Echidna Tribe from the floating Angel Island that pillaged Mobian towns and secret resistance bases. No matter what, they found their way.</p><p> </p><p>“The Master Emerald!” Jules concluded excitedly. “If we can hook up the Spin Dash to the Master Emerald, all three of us should be able to make it!”</p><p>Chuck looked at Jules from his top bunk, “The Doctor is probably toying with us.”</p><p>“Probably but I got to see first hand the honor he made sure to place in even the worst of converted people! Remember Geoffrey St. John? Dime a dozen scumbag but his robot was different, making sure any intruding Echidnas didn’t kill me.”</p><p>“And then he turned on you once the Echidna was scared off,” Aleena added. “One favorable experience is not going to mean he’s a good person.”</p><p>Jules let out a long sign and looked down, “I hope he can keep his word when I get up there. Show him who’s top dog.”</p><p>Aleena sat next to him, “Not ‘when’ you do but ‘if’ you do.”</p><p>Jules locked eyes with Aleena, “There is no ‘if’. Our dragon allies did not find any Echidnas guarding the Master Emerald and I got Prower to approve my plan. Everything should be ready with two days left to spare.”</p><p>“WHAT?!” Aleena got up while Chuck hopped down.</p><p>“Did you run a single test?!” Chuck demanded, worried.</p><p>“When did you even have time to check with Prower?” Aleena asked, feeling betrayed.</p><p> </p><p>Ten days had passed, the fallout of Jule’s wreckless behavior was forgiven again. His brain was hooked on machines, tactics, and living in the moment rather than worrying over the details. The details are Chuck’s job, making sure everybody was safe or protected from their inventions. Aleen made sure to keep the group’s morale with an outsider’s perspective, infectious optimism, and being able to cook something healthier than a chili dog or three.</p><p>Three Spin Dash were built, aimed at the Ark. The hedgehogs took their positions on the platforms inside the cannon, chanting began as the cannons charged.</p><p>Space gear ready, hedgehogs ready, Spin Dash ready.</p><p>The hedgehogs rolled up into balls, the chaos energy leaked into the cannons, forcing them to rapidly spin I place. Before launch could be aborted the three were shot off into space.</p><p> </p><p>Successfully on the Ark, the team raced to find an airlock so they can enter. Once their oxygen ran low they found the airlock, Chuck hacking their way in. “You did it again, Charles,” he said to himself.</p><p>Once inside, they discarded their space suits but something was wrong.</p><p>“Why are you two blue?” Aleena asked before feeling something on her neck. It was a purple, hairy something stuck onto her.</p><p>Chuck thought aloud, “Maybe the emerald gave us Echidna-like properties like colored fur and more pronounced hair?”</p><p>The bright purple Aleena played with her long, messy, dark purple hair while Jules flicked at a curly tuft of hair dangling in front of his eyes.</p><p>“I had a feeling they were mutants,” Blue Jules said while the now Light Blue Chuck played with his fluffier, gray mustache. “We can study ourselves later; Robuttnik will pay for his crimes!”</p><p>“Robuttnik?” Aleena asked, eyebrow raised.</p><p>Jules blushed, “It was a demeaning name I was saving for a moment I never thought would come. The shmuck looks like an egg so I though about bringing up how bottom heavy he is.”</p><p>“Why not call him an egghead or say he’s an egg man! Robuttnik sounds childish!”</p><p>Jules smirked, “I would rather tell my future kids about how I beat the Great Gerald Robotnik, not some Eggman!”</p><p>They rushed down corridors, no guards in sight.</p><p>They eventually hear a litter girl’s voice, begging. Does he have a child hostage? We never considered that option, just locating the doctor and splitting up, Jules would distract him while Chuck and Aleena freed his prisoners but now he has a hostage.</p><p>“It is far too late to take back my actions, Maria; who would have known Mobius had the right environment for you or that you would be sick!” Gerald explained.</p><p>“Why issue the challenge in the first place?” A third voice piped up. Everyone recognized the voice of Robotnik’s grandson Snively, “All they know down there is territories and us or them mentalities.”</p><p>Jules rushed into the room, surprising an old egg shaped man with a massive white mustache in a lab coat, a small blonde girl in a blue dress, and a short man decked in green with a large bald head and pointy nose.</p><p>Jules’ green eyes met the doctor’s sunglasses, “I am here to make you pay, Robuttnik!”</p><p>Snively was offended while the other two laughed.</p><p>Energy surged around Jules as he ran up to Robotnik faster than he had ever ran, startling the girl but unphasing the doctor as he bounced off of a force field.</p><p>“Maria, how would you rate that entrance?” Gerald asked as his laughter died.</p><p>The girl looked between the stunned hedgehog running around the room and her grandfather, “Why is Shadow attacking us?!”</p><p>Gerald frowned, looking at the blue hedgehog and back at Maria, “He doesn’t resemble Shadow in the slightest.”</p><p>Snively looked over, “You don’t see it? They’re exactly the same!”</p><p>“Shadow is black!”</p><p>“You said it; not me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Origins Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>A</strong>leena and Chuck left except they noticed something was different, purple and blue sparks covered their body as the ran, their speed increasing and allowing them to split up and cover more ground. The more they sped up the more frequent they could rendezvous more and more frequently until they found areas that were actually guarded.</p><p>Aleena snatched keys in a blink of an eye and unlocked cells in a jiffy, everyone human or Mobian taking half a minute to realize what was going on while SWATbots were processing the information. Prisoners attacked their wardens, stealing their weapons and began their trek to Dr. Robotnik.</p><p>Chuck found a hedgehog trapped in his own chamber, hacking the system to free the Mobian.</p><p>This hedgehog had black quills with red stripes at the middles, his outter quills curved upwards, he has white chest fluff, dark tan skin, and wore rocket shoes with unusual matching gloves.</p><p>Shadow woke up, immediately knowing what this meant. He got out of his chamber and performed a rolling assault, knocking away the pest that freed him. With an amber jewel in his right hand he called upon mysterious powers few were aware of. “CHAOS-! CONTROL!”</p><p>Chuck look up in time to see the black hedgehog vanish in a bright light. Was that a Chaos Emerald?! Teleportation?! An unassisted Spin Dash?! Chuck got up, speeding out of the room.</p><p> </p><p>Jules kept using Solo Spin Dashes on the force field, bouncing off it and any nearby walls and surfaces.</p><p>A new guy appeared out of thin air and knocked Jules away with a roundhouse kick.</p><p>Jules froze, “Who are you?”</p><p>“I am the Ultimate Lifeform, Shadow the Hedgehog!”</p><p>“Jules Hedgehog, unrelated,” he replied, sarcastically. “Honestly bucko, can I meet a hedgehog with an original last name? Like a Anton Veruca? Is he a hedgehog? Probably!”</p><p>“He is actually our alligator intern,” Snively commented.</p><p>“Of course he is,” Jules said dryly before the two hedgehogs collided in a defensive and offensive Spin Dash, bouncing off each other and the various surfaces around. Jules caught on how his new ability worked, boosting towards Shadow in mid air.</p><p>The uncurled themselves, engaged in hand to hand combat too fast to describe before locking hands and pushing into each other, Jules shouting, “You may know everything I’m going to do but that won’t help you because I know-” Shadow’s hands began to glow. “Absolutely nothing!”</p><p>Shadow commanded powers beyond- “CHAOS BURST!”</p><p>Red energy threw everyone back, even destroying the barrier. A girl’s shriek brought Shadow out of focus, quickly turning behind him, “Maria?!”</p><p>Gerald frowned, disappointed, “What is my first rule of combat?”</p><p>Shadow froze for a minute while Jules thought up a plan, not realizing his opportunity.</p><p>“Be aware of your surroundings! If you would actually listen and stop critiquing every little ‘shoddy craftsmanship’ mistake I made, maybe you can avoid getting blindsided by a G.U.N. rookie!”</p><p>“Apologies doctor, but while you were screeching it has come to my attention that nobody noticed the glaring flaw in your forcefield and I’m not talking color or resonance.”</p><p>Maria cowered behind Gerald, “Shadow~! This serious!”</p><p>“I uh...” Shadow sighed, refocused, “I will consider your advice.” He turned to where Jules was.</p><p> </p><p>Aleena and Chuck rolled in time to find Jules shaking hands with Robotnik while Snively and Snively was left injured and Shadow on guard in front of Maria.</p><p>Chuck gasped, “What are you doing, Jules?!”</p><p>“Establishing a temporary truce so Gerald can discuss his parting condition with President Nigel Acorn and maybe we can try to return to the status quo.” Jules pointed over his shoulder, “And that’s my new friend Smokey!”</p><p>Shadow glared at him.</p><p>Aleena stared at Shadow and Chuck, “Weird. He looks like Chuck but without his mustache.”</p><p>Jules stopped shaking hands, “I knew he looked familiar! I’m still getting used to- oh hey, I have super speed!”</p><p>“Same.”</p><p>“Honestly I feel at home with this change,” Chuck said, not removing his eyes from any perceived threat.</p><p> </p><p>As the doctor walked off with the three hedgehogs, Shadow relaxed. Maria was safe. Shadow’s left inhibitor ring began beeping; he slid a red watch out from under the ring and turn off his alarm. He is already awake and should make sure Maria is back in her room before starting his day cycle.</p><p>He picked up Maria over his shoulder and she layed limp in preparation for another ride.</p><p>In an instant they were in Maria’s room and as she reached for a nearby paper bag, Shadow was at the SWATbot gun range.</p><p>There had been a misunderstanding but he didn’t care. If he ever broke a leg or lose his chaos energy, he can gun you down six ways till Sunday and not need a reload.</p><p>Yesterday his unit had to shoot falling golf balls but today was graduation; marbles were aimed at their heads. They must pick the right gun, assemble it, load it, and be ready for when the marbles are shot. For a SWATbot this is the difference between success and failure while for Shadow it was failure or painful humiliation.</p><p>Two glocks with extended mags were ready as mean bean marbles flew, bullets deflecting marble as Shadow shot with both guns. His robot classmates were dented as Shadow changed poses and still hit his targets. After five minutes, class concluded.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You thought this was Sonic’s origin but it’s actually Shadow’s!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Origins Part 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>M-Maria!</p><p>Jokes aside I'm writing this chapter bit by bit and now I’m angry for losing the best bit and my edit to what I wrote before that bit. autocorrect wasn’t helping.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>P</strong>iercing red eyes, dark monsters, flying starfishes, piles of gold turned into piles of bodies.</p><p>Maria is at the bottom, crying with her back to the black hedgehog, “Why did you do this, Shadow?!”</p><p>He tried to talk but he had no mouth; he tried to run down to her but his legs won’t let him. He reached out but he couldn’t reach but he did notice that his arm was covered in gray crystals and ended in black claws. Purple smoke descend the bodies and almost covered Maria.</p><p>Maria’s corpse turned up towards him with cracks and sickening pops, her bare skull screamed, “WHY DID YOU LET ME DIE, SHADOW?! SHADOW! SHADOW!”</p><p> </p><p>“SHADOW; PLEASE, WAKE UP!” Maria screamed. She grabbed a shoe from her closet and attempted to slap Shadow across the face. He immediately cought it and was startled awake.</p><p>“Maria? MARIA!” Shadow’s face was full of fear then relief. “I-I had that nightmare, again.”</p><p>“This is why my bunk bed has a slide. You need to tell Grandpa; what if I wasn’t ready one night? Ready for you to teleport next to me and start ruining my room!”</p><p>“I don’t want to bring the doctor in on this.”</p><p>“He already knows what’s going on,” Maria said. “We’re just waiting for you to make the next step. Emerl made the first step.”</p><p>Shadow looked at Maria, puzzled, “What is an Emerl?”</p><p> </p><p>“Finally! Worthy craftsmanship!”</p><p>A gold robot with blue eyes with a single orange head spike stood out amongst black and silver robots, giving commands, before noticing Shadow and Maria walk up, “Hello Ms. Ma Maria and Project Shadow.”</p><p>Shadow look at Maria, “Why did you call you that?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You’re the one he’s been studying. He can’t sleep or teleport but he will copy every bit of you having a nightmare. Everything is not one to one but still.”</p><p>Emerl nodded, “I am Gizoid Unit Emerl, named after my original purpose to guard the Mister Emerl. I can copy every action I see to ensure immediate victory.”</p><p>Shadow frowned, “I think you mean Master Emerald.”</p><p>“I am a combatant, not a linguist.”</p><p>Another robot with a similar build strolled up, saluted, and gave a whirring noise.</p><p>Emerl nodded, “Good. Good. Ensure the remaining prisoners are well behaved for our trip to Earth Prime.”</p><p>Shadow was puzzled, “Remaining prisoners?”</p><p>Maria smiled, “The Mobians said we can move in as long as Grandpa release his prisoners. There’s still discussions on if we can keep the Arc or not.”</p><p>Emerl nodded, “Assuming we’re still in business, I want us to be a space yacht!”</p><p>“You said ‘remaining prisoners’ as in we let some go,” Shadow pointed out. “When did this happen?”</p><p>“Between our surprise visit and you waking up from sleeping in for a couple weeks; 98% of mobians and 20% of various humans have been released onto Mobius.”</p><p>“A-a couple weeks?”</p><p>Shadow’s sleep cycles have been increasing lately, concerning the should-be guardian. The longer he is out of commission, the more opportunities for Maria could be harmed by an escaped prisoner. Sure their numbers have decreased but they live on a ship half the size of most moons, how thorough would a search of this scale be?</p><p>What if someone is tampering with his chamber to urge him...</p><p> </p><p>“...and these creatures had big red eyes, some of them even appeared to be snakes made of fire that rise from the earth!” Shadow sat in a therapy chair recounting his nightmares to his creator, Gerald Robotnik, who took notes while he listened. “And when I dream these <em>horrible</em> dreams I feel less and less like myself. In most cases I’m standing on a mountain of bodies with Maria dying at the bottom. Her fear and pain is carved in my psychie when I wake up and I’m always thinking about how I can save her from virtually any threat except myself.”</p><p>Gerald nodded, taking notes of the troubling events brought up. He knows very well what this means but Shadow is too young to be troubled from the truth. Gerald knows his former colleague is reaching out but its too soon!</p><p>He took a sip of tea from a small table Snively prepared before giving his thoughts, “You are an immortal being, Shadow, maybe these are your fears of the future? A very... <em>injured</em> Maria could be a fear that you will one day forget your closest friend and become something she wouldn’t like, which manefests in you viewing yourself as a monster. The actual dark green and purple monsters could be your future guilt and regrets and how they affect your world view while the burning creatures are your future unforgivable acts against those around you?”</p><p>Shadow thought about it, “I don’t know. I-I guess?”</p><p>“Tell me, are these monsters attacking you?”</p><p>“No. They appear to be waiting for further orders while killing those who draw near.”</p><p>Gerald added to his notes, “Here is an idea...”</p><p> </p><p>“...he wants you to command the monsters? As in make them do good?” Maria asked, staring at Earth from a distance, the Ark approaching the planet at what felt like a snail’s pace.</p><p>Shadow pulled back from adjusting the observatory telescope, “Hypothetically if I can control the monsters then I would be in control of my fears and feel better about myself. I honestly don’t know if I can.”</p><p>“Well it wouldn’t hurt to try and observe the results,” Maria reasoned, “Speaking of observing, how soon can we see Earth?”</p><p>“Remind me why you’re not setting this up yourself,” Shadow requested, placing his eye on the telescope to adjust it more.</p><p>“I’m not allowed to touch Snively’s stuff and roughly 95% of the telescope is his. I’m not touching his telescope, you are. I’m just checking on my repairs to make sure the telescope is working properly.”</p><p>Shadow could not fault her logic and kept going, wondering if every Robotnik was born with their 500 IQs.</p><p>About two hours into watching Earth’s weather patterns, Snively walked in with his crutches and would’ve made a complaint if Shadow hadn’t send a chaos spear between his feet. As Snively left, Shadow wonder if every Robotnik was destined to be bald and if that would affect Maria.</p><p> </p><p>Shadow The Dark looked upon the burning city, smoke blocked the sun and screams filled the air; Maria’s screams brought him back to focus. He pointed his claw towards a few Dark Warriors, “You! Put out the fires!” he then pointed to the burning birds in the sky, “Stop making fires!” he pointed to a bigger, sharper monster, “And you, help my give these bodies a proper burial-”</p><p>
  <strong>H O W   U N F O R T U N A T E .   A N D   Y O U   H A D   S O   M U C H   P O T E N T I A L .</strong>
</p><p>The bigger monster looked up at Shadow with angry, amber eyes and crushed Maria’s skull, her fluids covering its massive two toed foot.</p><p>Another creature floated down, his body was a dark purple, his pickaxe shaped head had three red, glowing eyes that bore into Shadow’s very being. The creature lacked a bottom half, instead holding great authority over Shadow’s demons. Gold metal jewelry hung from his neck, over his tattered robe. His voice shook Shadow to his core, <strong>“I am giving you one last chance to prove yourself or else I</strong></p><p> </p><p>Shadow was forced awake, his chamber opened to reveal his room bathed in red light and the concept of silence was immediately shattered.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I would like to bring up my Shadow.</p><p>Basically looks like normal Shadow with BOOM Shadow’s Air Shoes and a tiny bit of his personality, assuming I’m doing this right.</p><p>My shoddy craftsmanship is not worthy of any hedgehog.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Brave Hearted Hero</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>M</strong>aria clung to Shadow once his chamber opened, sobbing into his chest.</p><p>“Maria, what’s happening out there?!” Shadow demanded, worried.</p><p>Maria took a few deep breaths and tried talking over the sirens, “Snively took the mass escape pod, G.U.N. is killing everyone on the Ark; prisoners, scientists, and robots are being mowed down! Emerl held back a few soldiers long enough to get to you!”</p><p>Shadow put a hand over Maria’s mouth as the sirens stopped, the Ark switched from Red Alert to red mode.</p><p>Clank.</p><p>Clank.</p><p>Clank.</p><p>Footsteps. Shadow rushed Maria next to the door, shortly followed by a GUN soldier brushing in, checking the room but he didn’t react fast enough. Shadow had the man’s gun to his head, demanding, “How many are out there?”</p><p>The man attempted to spat in Shadow’s face but Shadow caught the spit and slapped the guy’s face before gripping his throat.</p><p>“There are <em>children</em> on board-”</p><p>“There <em>were</em> children on board, Shadow,” Maria corrected. “Whoever couldn’t evacuate would never get another chance to.”</p><p>The soldiers frown, “N-Not proud. M-Must... eliminate... M-Maria... Robotnik!”</p><p>Maria was furious, “What does killing me have to do with killing so many innocent people?”</p><p>“You... Maria?”</p><p>Shadow rolled his eyes, holding a radio, “Don’t bother signalling back up.”</p><p>The soldier smiled.</p><p>A voice on the radio spoke up, “I don’t hear music from Gary, over.”</p><p>Another voice responded, “He’s still in F30-D Room 345, over.”</p><p>Maria back away, looking away from what Shadow had to do. This was Shadow’s first kill and he hated it.</p><p> </p><p>Once Shadow set the scene of an honorable death for the man, he ran out with Maria on his shoulders. He gunned down soldiers in his war path, nobody reacted fast enough.</p><p>Red and gold lightning arced over him as he observed his surroundings, luckily Maria has a friendship bracelet that lets her share his power when they’re together... And she’s also the Space Colony Ark’s very own organic map.</p><p>He followed her instructions as he ran but eventually they noticed something different. The soldiers that were slow to them began to speed up; his lightning was bouncing off him and towards... other friendship bracelets.</p><p>Instead of bullets flying at them, lasers tried to burn.</p><p>A group of soldiers quickly made a wall of fire in one hallway but instead of avoiding the trap, Maria curled in on herself while Shadow curled around her, performing a rolling defense attack through the soldiers and knocking a few away.</p><p>Shadow tossed Maria back on his shoulders as he ran.</p><p>Gerald could be heard on the intercom, broadcasting his location and threatening to unleash another Project Shadow.</p><p>Maria patted his head, “There’s just one you. I’ll explain when I can.”</p><p> </p><p>Traveling through the familiar halls and seeing nothing but red and blue, the two ran and ran, knocking away soldiers as they tried and failed to react in time.</p><p>Their travels led them past a window showing the Earth, practically next door. This specific hall is where Shadow and Maria would have picnics and share their dreams. Sometimes Snively would discourage their dreams and sometimes Gerald Robotnik would join them. The last time they were there Shadow discovered that he was the Ultimate Chef and made the best meal Gerald had in a long time.</p><p>But now they can’t help but watch orange escape pods decorate space as they fell to Earth.</p><p>Back into dark halls with harsh lights, they rushed around, finding all of the escape pods in North and East sectors gone. Approaching the South sector, they found G.U.N. soldiers packed like pins and another Rolling Defense Attack proved the point.</p><p>They found a pod just as Gerald escaped, surprised to see them.</p><p>Two individual pods left.</p><p>Shadow and Maria entered their pods and we're about to drop when a lone soldier caught up and riddled the room in bullets before Maria found a dropped gun and fired on the soldier. Footsteps grew louder as more were approaching.</p><p>Maria turned to Shadow, unable to open his pod. Reaching behind him, he couldn’t find his Chaos Emerald and began banging on the escape pod.</p><p>Maria made a move to the hanger control, moving Shadow’s pod to an empty spot with working controls.</p><p>“Maria!” Shadow called out as he was moved, “What are you doing?!”</p><p>“Shadow... I can’t survive on Earth.”</p><p>“We can figure something out!”</p><p>“Like we’ve been doing my whole life? I want be where the people are, sure, but my family and friends are my people.”</p><p>“I would rather you die seeing the big blue sky than take a bullet!”</p><p>Soldiers rushed into the room, gunning down Maria without hesitation. She had her hand on the launch button, letting go as she fell.</p><p>“MARIA!” Shadow cried as he began beating on the pod as hard as he can, even trying to execute a Rolling Assault despite the small space. “I’LL KI-”</p><p>“Bring hope to humanity, Shadow!” Maria commanded Shadow as her life began to leave her eyes. “Bring... Hope...”</p><p>Shadow’s pod dropped, soaring down to Earth. Flames covered the pod on entry, while inside rain poured as Shadow curled in on himself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Rolling Assault is another name for the Spin Dash (in my canon).</p><p>Rolling Defense is based on the Double Spin Dash from Sonic 4 Episode II except Shadow is (for lack of a better term, do not harm me) spooning Maria. At least it’s more appropriate than what Sonic and Tails were doing in that game.</p><p>Think about it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Lightning Round One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I refuse to do a 50 year time skip; that would mean we skip the classic games and Sonic Adventure 1! So this will be 25 or so years condensed into one chapter so we can get to Sonic sooner.</p><p>Let us see what everybody is up to...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>S</strong>tarting from Maria’s death, the future will never be the same. These actions will ripple for the next 50 more or less years and may affect those who were never on the Ark, let alone anyone born during the event.</p><p> </p><p>In 1966, when Gerald Robotnik landed, he was greeted with guns drawn and was sent to Prison Island for his initially secret intergalactic crimes. Nobody cared that he turned a new leaf a decade ago and was working on resolving one last conflict he left behind; he <em>used</em> to have a super laser than would turn the natural into the mechanical.</p><p>Somebody destroyed that advanced technology in the raid but it wouldn’t matter once Project Shadow was completed.</p><p> </p><p>Shadow had evaded G.U.N. for a good five years, eventually there was no attacks. He found a discarded MP3 player and was introduced to music he never heard before. He decided to play the music as he walked along a train track.</p><p>
  <em>I walk a lonely road, the only road that I ever known.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Don’t know where it goes, but it’s only me and I walk alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She’s a Killer... Queen! Gun powder, gelatin! Dynomite with a laser beam!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I see a red door and I want to paint it black...</em>
</p><p>
  <em>WAKE ME UP! (Wake me up inside!) I CAN’T WAKE UP! (Wake me up inside!) SAVE ME!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wake me up, before you go-go!</em>
</p><p>And Shadow’s personal favorite:</p><p>
  <em>All hail, Shadow! Heros rise again!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Eliminating everything that’s not your friend!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nothing can stop you now!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No force can bring you down!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>When there’s nothing left to lose... You win!</em>
</p><p>Five large floating G.U.N. tanks, the “Heavy Dogs”, burst through the treeline and fired upon Shadow who dodged the tanks with ease at first but then the one he was attacking was blown up by the other four.</p><p> </p><p>Gerald reunited with Shadow in 1971, unfortunately under cold circumstances.</p><p>“Shadow, is Maria safe? Did they get her? Are you alright?!” Gerald fell to his knees, asking a concerning number of questions in rapid succession to Shadow, who could only move his head.</p><p>Shadow couldn’t hold his composure when he heard her name.</p><p>“Shadow, what happened to Maria?!”</p><p>Shadow could barely talk, choking out, “Maria... Dead...!” through his sobbing.</p><p>Gerald couldn’t hug Shadow as his leg was chained to the back wall so he just reached out, the tip of his finger barely brushing the tip of Shadow’s nose. Shadow didn’t notice the attempted gesture.</p><p>Gerald walked over to the back corner of his cell and began his scribbles. Shadow may be imprisoned but they didn’t count on the prototype!</p><p> </p><p>20 year old Colin “Snively” Robotnik Jr. fell in the Arctic and cryogenically froze himself for 25 years of our 50 year voyage through time and was recovered by G.U.N. luckily the organization in 1991 was more forgiving of “Dr. Julius Snively”.</p><p>Nobody called Snively by his real name for years and G.U.N. only listed <em>two</em> Robotnik’s on board the Ark instead of three, he figured the alias was better than carrying a cursed name.</p><p>In his years as a researcher for G.U.N. he grew a brown goatee that helped him rise the ranks instead of being an “eyesore”. As the only hair he can actually grow, it was a welcomed change... Unlike his current situation.</p><p>The continuation of <em>PROJECT SHADOW.</em></p><p>Snively read up on the Space Colony Ark raid, the death of Maria and everyone who couldn’t escape, the five year hunt for Project Shadow, and Gerald’s twenty years of insanity under G.U.N.’s imprisonment.</p><p>Though Gerald had died around the 1980’s prior to Snively’s employment, he made sure his insanity never left in the form of his research noted in his cell and a couple robot assistants: A tall, silver chicken robot named Scratch and a short, green drilling robot on treads named Grounder.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile 15 year old Ivo Robotnik completed another four years of college and is beginning round three to the dismay of his college and orphanage.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile on Mobius, Jules and his wife Aleena and her brother Charles have honed their powers and brought world peace... Mostly.</p><p>A new tribe of Echidnas called The Dark Brotherhood had invaded the planet in 1988 and everyone was caught up in the Echidna Civil War. It wasn’t as intense as the Robotnik Wars or the rise of Mammoth Mongul.</p><p>Chuck was gardening for Aleena when he found something, “Hey Aleena?”</p><p>“Yes?” Aleena called out from the window.</p><p>“Did you lose a ring?”</p><p>Jules rushed out, examining the ring, “Honey, the magic rings are back!”</p><p>“Save them!” Aleena called back.</p><p>Chuck looked puzzled, “Magic rings?”</p><p>Jules smirked, “What? Is this your first find?”</p><p>“It is, actually. Now you said magic rings as in there’s more of them. What are they?”</p><p>Jules pulled out a brown burlap bag and added the ring to several others, “They’re these rings that can create portals to wherever when you throw them! They’re attracted to our super powers for some reason. Sometimes we find red rings but we don’t know what they do.”</p><p>“I found a blue ring a couple times!” Aleena added.</p><p>“Blue rings prevent fatal injury and provides five or ten gold rings. I almost forgot that these things boost our powers for 30 minutes before vanishing. You can even find rainbow rings that boost our powers for an hour but they can’t make portals, instead making a hoop that throws whatever enters its space.”</p><p>Chuck sat there for a bit before quickly scavenging a few rings of his own and fixing the garden, “I will be right back.” He threw a ring and left through the portal.</p><p>Jules turned towards Aleena, still stuck in her recliner, “He just took a few rings and ran to Casino Night!”</p><p>Chuck fell from the sky and onto his face, a tiny golden retriever pup on his back. “I got my dog back!”</p><p>Jules stared at his brother in law, happily holding a puppy that is clearly not Muttski.</p><p>“So deroboticization makes those affected a year younger than when they were converted but for some reason the non-Mobian animals have their ages regressed to almost infancy!”</p><p>“It sounds like you stole a puppy.”</p><p>“I stole a robot and turned it back into my puppy!”</p><p>Aleena snapped her fingers, getting everyone’s attention to her window, “I think you should give us the rest of your rings.”</p><p>Chuck shrugged, “I would if I had any.”</p><p>Jules leveled his gaze, “You grabbed approximately ten rings.”</p><p>“One for here to CNZ, one to get past the bouncer, one to enter Ebony Hare’s office, kept three for the return trip; that's six. I tried to haggle for my dog-”</p><p>Aleena gasped, “You were gone for less than a minute!”</p><p>Chuck chuckled, “The planet rotates at different speeds depending on how close you are to the equator. Anyway, I ran out of patience to agree on a price so I dropped some coin and a couple rings his way. Including the ring I used to redirect his men’s bullets to the ceiling; that makes nine rings. My last ring was used as an impromptu power source since nobody has a chaos emerald.” He handed Jules a ring, “And that is my last ring: eleven.”</p><p> </p><p>In July 1991 Aleena had quadruplets, each inheriting their parents’ super powers. The hedgehogs had to escape the city when the green Manny “Manic” Hedgehog would cause earthquakes when he cried, the magenta Sonia would manipulate air currents when she’s excited, the pink Tania could turn yellow briefly and in this yellow form would float onto high places, and then there was the runt.</p><p>The smallest blue hedgehog in the household. Nicholas the Hedgehog. The most normal baby... besides being blue. Normality died in the Spin Dash cannons but it was fine.</p><p> </p><p>It is 1992 and everything is NOT fine. Manic creates earthquakes when he’s excited; and the solution was to give him a tiny drum. Sonia is an indoor tornado so Jules and Chuck made an air tunnel for her to float in. Tania is the most normal, now, despite getting a grasp on her yellow form.</p><p>Nicky is fast like his parents and his small size makes him hard to catch. Aleena has protective gear on the little guy so now he just vibrates around the cottage.</p><p>Chuck looked at all the baby hedgehogs he has to babysit at night when they refuse to sleep and began to wonder, <em>Why do they have my haircut?</em> Uncle Chuck is the fun godfather when he’s on the night shift. When waiting for them to fall asleep, he has a camera set to watch them make hand paint art or do something funny or listen to one of his bedtime stories.</p><p>They can’t talk yet but Chuck knows Nicky enjoys hearing stories about his dad, even when bundled in thick bubble wrap.</p><p> </p><p>Angel Island disappeared for three months in 1993 before returning as something came out of nowhere.</p><p>Robots like none had ever seen before rolled onto the countryside. Chuck had to leave to protect their country, equipped with new gear: Light Speed Shoe mods on Wall Jump Shoes.</p><p>Aleena hugged her brother while Jules warned him to be careful.</p><p>Chuck thanked them, reassuring, “We’ve defeated Robotnik! Who does this Eggman Nega bozo think he is?!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sonic The Hedgehog 1 was released 1991.<br/>Sonic Adventure was released 1998.</p><p>We can’t use those years.</p><p>I did the calculations. The story begins in 1966 (now canon) so 25 years of fluff and we get 1991 which means Sonic will be five years old in time for 1996 and Classic Sonic should be ten in 2006 and Dreamcast Sonic will be fifteen in 2011...</p><p>But Shadow wakes up in 2016. Modern Sonic’s SEGA canon age is 16.</p><p>My timeline isn’t supposed to be 1:1. I’ll edit Silver The Hedgehog in this chapter somehow.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Negative Eggmotions Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A mysterious new foe has appeared but his army is small and he isn’t hiding in a fortress.</p><p>A new Challenger approaches!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>J</strong>uly 1993</p><p>Large, silver ladybug robots rolling on shiny black spheres, white monkey robots could summon explosives from thin air, giant flying white insect robots based on wasps that shot unusual fireballs, round silver bipedal robot men built like football quarterbacks, and some with extra weapons marched onto the scene.</p><p>Eggman Nega was an egg shaped man with very pointy sunglasses, another pair of green sunglasses on his head like an imbecile, wearing mostly red pajamas with a bumble bee black and yellow stripes on his shoulders... Actually besides the ridiculous costume, it is very obvious who this is.</p><p>The doctor in a round floating chair machine locked eyes with the pale blue hedgehog that forgot to comb his better kept mustache.</p><p>Chuck pointed at the doctor, “Gerald Robotnik, long time no see!”</p><p>Nega pointed at the pest, “Prepare to die, Sonic The Hedgehog!”</p><p>They both paused.</p><p>Chuck frowned, “My name is Charles. Who is this Sonic character?”</p><p>“I don’t know who Jee-rald Robotnik is but you’re obviously Sonic but approximately one hundred years old.”</p><p>“Again, Sonic who? And I’ll have you know my doctor said I looked good for sixty two!” Chuck was calculating his jump for when the fight began.</p><p>“Pardon me. All ancient, colorless hedgehogs look the same to me,” he said, smirking, “Right Silver?”</p><p>“That’s not him,” a raspy voice said, startling Chuck.</p><p><em>How did he sneak up on me?!</em> Chuck thought as he calmed his heart.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Nega asked a white hedgehog with quills that split off in five points off his head, had the biggest, fluffiest white chest fur Chuck has ever seen, piercing golden eyes, and metal gloves and boots made from unknown technologies. “You described a blue hedgehog and I went back in time and found one. He’s probably Sonic’s ancestor!”</p><p>The white hedgehog stood firm, “This is <em>not</em> the Iblis Trigger!”</p><p>Nega nodded, “I see your point but let me raise a counterpoint: YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS NOT HERE TO STOP ME NOW IMMA YEET TWO HEDGEHOGS INTO THE DAMN STRATOSPHERE!”</p><p>Silver looked to Chuck, “S’up. I’m Silver The Hedgehog, last hedgehog on Earth circa 41st Century.”</p><p>Chuck looked at the kid and the small group of robots preparing their lasers, “Sir Charles The Hedgehog but everyone calls me Chuck. I think I helped invent super powers... uh... 20th century.”</p><p>“You jump the bots; I got an egg to scramble.”</p><p>Silver flew up in a cyan aura before throwing a couple ladybug robots at Nega... Without touching the robots.</p><p><em>Jump the robots? Is he serious?</em> Chuck spun into a few robots but they tossed him away more often that not. Chuck eventually decided to go for another spin dash but pushed out of it and jump on a robot... again... and again.</p><p>One warrior robot caught him, throwing him onto the ground and preparing to jump onto Chuck when the robot stopped in the air, covered in a cyan aura.</p><p>Silver rescued Chuck, “What are you doing?!”</p><p>The coffee shop was wrecked but provided good coverage.</p><p>Chuck looked back at the burning scene as the robots began to attack armed and civilian Mobians, all just as helpless as Chuck as the indestructible Marvel's marched rolled and flew around.</p><p>“When you jump on them, you roll back into a ball and keep jumping!”</p><p>Chuck pointed a trembling finger, “We need to evacuate the city!”</p><p>Silver sighed, “I have a plan but I need to recharge my powers. Can you home into a robot?”</p><p>“Spin dashing doesn’t work!”</p><p>“No, I mean advanced air dashing!”</p><p>Chuck looked at the kid, “If I didn’t see you fly, I would assume you were crazy.”</p><p>“Can you ground pound?!” Silver was starting to panick. “You said you have super powers!”</p><p>“I have super speed.” Chuck slowly began sparking.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello eggs benedi-” Chuck ran as he dodged bullets from Nega’s Glock.</p><p>Chuck rushed around, using gold rings Silver gave him for his mods he ran faster than he ever had before. Blue and gold lightning covered his body as time slowed to a snail’s pace. He immediately turned to the closest wall and bounced off of it before rolling into a ball, flying through three robots. Time resumed and Chuck and Eggman Nega were stunned by his work.</p><p>Delayed explosions rained off as the robot army’s attention was turned to him.</p><p>Charles The Hedgehog never felt so alive as he followed Silver’s instructions to the T and rammed his balled body into several robots from many angles, using momentum and his body’s ignored improved defense mechanism.</p><p>In less than an hour every robot begame scrap for the junkyard... That was until the parts flew up to Eggman Nega’s flying machine.</p><p>Silver rushed out, fully charged but paused in fear of the giant mech before him. He flew up to the roof of the coffee shop before shouting, “Nega, stop! That robot is a pivotal part of history; if you use it you might rewrite time more than before!”</p><p>Dark purple clouds filled the sky, the ticking of a giant, ancient clock reverberated across reality as the city broke apart.</p><p>Everybody was in the void of the Time Eater.</p><p>“As I live and breathe... What is going on?!” Chick demanded as Silver joined him.</p><p>“Time is mysterious but there’s always a known constant,” Silver began, “There’s so much pressure anything can take before it breaks and he...” Silver directed Chuck’s attention to a white and red robot resembling a giant, metal Eggman Nega with a pocket pack, an odd red stared shield, and a wrecking ball. “Just broke time, which breaks space. In order to fix what’s broken, the universe breaks off the time tumor and heal what is missing.”</p><p>“But that’s good; he can’t hurt anybody else?”</p><p>“Actually he can return to the future but whatever damage he caused will be reflected when space is fixed. Imagine for a split second that the city we took with us returned as dust in the wind. We defeat Nega and time and space will fix itself like it should.”</p><p>Chuck thought about it, “So we’re the antibodies of time?”</p><p>“Correct.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The Egg Beater summoned the Time Eater.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Negative Eggmotions Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Uncle Chuck and Silver must defeat Eggman Nega and save the present!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>T</strong>he Egg Beater robot began to charge an unknown power, attracting hidden rings to it.</p><p>Silver flew forward with ease as Chuck tried to swim in the void. He was enveloped in a cyan aura and pulled alongside Silver.</p><p>The two collected as many rings as they can, reducing the amount of rings Nega would get his hands on.</p><p>Up above the Time Eater was about to swing its claw towards the two when a golden beam pushed it away.</p><p>Silver forced Chuck’s head down, urging him, “Ignore that. The owl spirit that guides lost travelers through time told me about this. If we are meant to win, we will be in the presence of the greatest battle of all time but we lose as soon as unwelcome eyes bare witness. I especially can’t look because my personal future is there.”</p><p>Chuck didn’t want admit what he saw but what he did looked like golden angel hedgehogs and many colorful Mobians in glowing golden bubbles shooting light and fire at a shadowy creature made of clockwork.</p><p>Silver enraged, threw Chuck at the Egg Beater. Chuck bounced off of the shield with a loud <em>PING</em> as he flew off. Silver was about to catch him but Chuck found debree of buildings and ground to jump on and off to return before finding a stretch of ground floating away from the mech.</p><p>He ran to one end and glanced to the side briefly, catching a glimpse of a hard to see young hedgehog angel revving a spin dash in place instead of running to build the momentum. Following the future child’s example, Chuck rolled in place. His quills lit up like a Christmas tree as he hovered in place, building up energy before dropping and shooting out like a pinball.</p><p>He made a direct hit on the mech’s head before pushing off to float out of the way of the chained wrecking ball.</p><p>Chuck landed on a window before parkouring off debree, charging a spin dash as he landed on another long stretch of debree, launching himself back at Eggman Nega, rolling up his robot’s arm and damaging the head again.</p><p>Silver threw debree at the robot, setting up a path for Chuck to hike and launch himself through the Egg Beater’s window, crashing into the mad doctor himself.</p><p> </p><p>The two were surprised to see each other and quickly engaged in very close quarters fisticuffs. Chuck dodged the sorry punches Nega threw before Chuck grabbed Nega’s large mustache.</p><p>“Don’t do this...” Nega begged.</p><p>“I always wanted to do this to my last mustachioed doctor but you will have to do!” Chuck headbutt Dr. Eggman Nega so hard that time and space fixed itself.</p><p> </p><p>Silver watched as a wave of energy flew towards him, making the Egg Beater robot and Chuck disappear along with the debree.</p><p>He was thrown back to the future, standing in the middle of a burning city.</p><p>His friend showed up, asking where Eggman Nega was located. Silver pulled out a tracker...</p><p> </p><p>Returning home, Chuck recounted his trip except he couldn’t remember what Nega’s robot looked like or why he was in a time tunnel with future Mobians or how all the Mobians of Mobius became brightly colored like the rest of them.</p><p>Chuck was about to demonstrate his new spin techniques he learned when the cottage exploded.</p><p>Eggman Nega had reappeared with a couple of new friends.</p><p>As smoke obscured Chuck’s vision, he saw a green Mobian crush Jule’s throat and neck before throwing the remains towards Chuck.</p><p>Aleena was putting up a fight against a floating silver Mobian before he unleashed a whole new, red power.</p><p>The ground began to shake as Manic was distressed, knocking Chuck off balance.</p><p>
  <em>CRUNCH</em>
</p><p>The earthquake stopped...</p><p> </p><p>“I said I was here to kill a blue hedgehog!” Nega’s voice repeatedly played in Chuck’s head as he neared his safe house. Eggman Nega didn’t hesitate to kill Jules and Aleena, and all Chuck could do was run off with the closest baby and Muttski. Chuck would have been dead when a mysterious bird flew in and distracted everyone.</p><p>Nicholas cried in Chuck’s arm. Two years old and his uncle is now his guardian.</p><p>Once inside the metal shack, Chuck left the two in the basement which had many many shelved stocked with three years of provisions. When he came back he had a small knife with blood on it.</p><p>“Alright Nicky, I went back to the cottage and scared the bad man. If he is as smart as he claims, he will not mess with us.”</p><p>“Why bad mans hurted mommy? And daddy? And Manny? And Sonny? And Tanny? And... Uh and... Uh...” Nicky scruched his face in confusion while tears still fell.</p><p>Chuck sighed, “I don’t know why he did that. There are just bad people in the world.”</p><p>“Buh... buh.. Chicky is smartest-est-ed! Chicky knows a.. a.. a <em>lotsa</em> tuff!”</p><p> </p><p>A week later and there was a knock on Chuck’s door.</p><p><em>Nobody is supposed to know where we are</em>, Chuck thought. Looking back, little Sonic was running on a wheel he made to keep the toddler entertained and generate energy for the bunker. <em>Great. Safe. Please stay there, kid.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Negative Eggmotions Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>C</strong>huck put on his brown leather vest and zipped it close enough to hide his shoulder holster carrying his revolver. Outside there wasn’t anybody, until a voice directed his attention downward.</p><p>Standing there was an old owl Mobian with big, round rippling glasses and a gray suit. “Are you Sir Charles The Hedgehog?”</p><p>“Who’s asking?”</p><p>“My name is Nicholas O’Tyme, 20th Century guardian of Little Planet,” he clasped his wings together and made a quick bow, “My daughter Long Claw wanted me to deliver something she didn’t want in the hands of those terrorists and scoundrels.”</p><p>He left a leather bag of rings in Chuck’s gloves hand.</p><p>“She made that bag as close to the original design as she could while improving the structural integrity,” Nicholas added, also giving Chuck a map of Little Planet. “We even included some special rings. Oh! Before I forget, Little Planet is going to show up in August. If you want to recover with us for a year, July through September every year is the best time to use rings to get to us otherwise the time energies we protect will make transportation a gamble.”</p><p>Chuck took out a gold ring and examined it for almost a minute, “Did you find anything else? Like children or-?”</p><p>The owl lowered his head, “We will take care of funeral expenses, too. They were dear friends of ours; we were actually on our way to meet you when <strong><em>that</em></strong> occurred.”</p><p>“You mentioned something about time energies-”</p><p>Nicholas sighed, “I’m afraid that despite the future interference, that event is set in stone. I cannot change events leading up to it nor can I send you to the future unless you were already there.”</p><p>Chuck nodded, “Thank you.” He thought about it, “One more question: Who is Sonic The Hedgehog?”</p><p>The bird man smiled, “All I can say is that he’s pretty important... And maybe bring up that Sonic isn’t the name given to him from birth. You two are actually pretty close.”</p><p>The owl flew off as Chuck locked the door and locked away his gun. <em>You two are actually pretty close.</em> Who is Sonic? Did one of his former roommates turn blue? Someone from the old neighborhood? <em>Who is Sonic?!</em></p><p>Chuck stopped when he saw Nicky hiding behind the wheel, a foul odor radiating from it. Chucked sighed, “<em>Not again...</em> Say it isn’t so, Nicky-!”</p><p>“It... uh... no so?” said the tiny <em>blue hedgehog</em> innocently smiling back at him.</p><p><em>So Nicky. So Nick. Sonic! Blue hedgehog! Sonic The Hedgehog! Very important! Future people travelled back in time to <strong>kill</strong> Sonic The Hedgehog!</em> The room spun around Chuck as he fainted, leaving little Nicky confused.</p><p>“It no so, Chicky! It no so!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Nicholas O’Tyme (Archie Sonic) was only name dropped and I think the Old Man owl from the Sonic OVA was pretty funny.</p><p>I also thought on how there’s hardly any owls in any Sonic Lore. Nicholas O'Tyme guards the Time Stones of Little Planet and Long Claw (Paramount Sonic) sounds like the bird equivalent of the long minute hand on a clock...</p><p>Long Claw O’Tyme, 21st Century guardian of Little Planet!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Lightning Round Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Let’s see what everyone else is up to!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>A</strong>fter the funeral, Chuck returned to the cottage remains. His small shack wasn’t as sturdy as he’d liked so he immediately went to work rebuilding the house and taking what useful resources he could and sold a nice building... A few months later than he liked.</p><p> </p><p>June 1994, a whole year after Nega’s attack, Chuck’s project was nearing completion. Now he needed his little helper to help with the fine tuning.</p><p>On twenty acres of farmland, Chick built miniature Spin Dash cannons in memory of Jules to teach Nicky the family’s specialty, a ring farm in memory of Aleena to provide security, an improved wind tunnel in memory of Sonia to teach Nicky and Chuck how to sky dive if the situation ever arose, and a whole course compromised of uneven and slippery surfaces in memory of Manic and Tania.</p><p>On Nicky’s third birthday in July, Chuck began his training.</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile on Earth Dr. Snively was concluding his research on a mysterious energy reading when he noticed a change in Shadow’s stasis. The hedgehog kept glowing on and off until finally returning to normal. This coincided with energy readings.</p><p>“Your coffee my inferior- <em>I mean </em>superior!”</p><p>Snively looked up to the new scientists standing a good two and a half feet taller than him. This kid is Dr. Ivo Robotnik and he sported a greater intellect to rival Gerald but didn’t sport any of the usual traits found in the Robotnik men.</p><p>Ivo was tall, thin, and energetic sporting a full head of almost black, dark brown hair and a small mustache with handlebar curls. He wore all black, usually wearing a trenchcoat and trousers with whatever black thing he got out of his closet. If it weren’t for the red on the inside of his coat, he would be a lanky void... but he wasn’t edgy, just arrogant.</p><p>“It isn’t that same goat milk garbage you force Agent Stone to make, is it?” Snively asks, not turning for the monitor.</p><p>“I see this as an absolute victory for me,” Ivo replied, placing the coffee in the back. “I’ll make a greater effort to care next time.”</p><p>“And just like my grandfather, you’ll forget.”</p><p>“Sure, rub it in the orphan’s face.”</p><p>“From one orphan to another; I’m looking forward to it.”</p><p>“You had a legal <em>guardian</em>!”</p><p>“He was a stranger to me.”</p><p>Ivo’s eyes shifted behind his dark shades, “We are estranged.” The cameras shut down in preparation for their private conversation.</p><p>Snively turned to him with his hand out, “Colin Robotnik Jr. but everybody called me Snively. I go under the alias Dr. Julius Snively because every Robotnik that isn’t you is being hunted for their intellect.” Ivo declined the handshake, “I see the Robotnik name as cursed and I want nothing to do with it but here we are.”</p><p>“And I should care... Why? I’m pretty sure I can outsmart these neanderthals.”</p><p>Snively rolled his eyes, “You’re like Gerald except I don’t see you going soft.”</p><p>“I’m nothing like him.”</p><p>“Yeah, you’re the only one of us with head hair.”</p><p>They paused for a moment before talking in code again, “That milkshake brought all the boys to the yard.” He directed their attention to Shadow, “One of my guests accidentally spilled ketchup on the rocky road. The party was already ruined but then there was a greater mess left behind.”</p><p>Ivo groaned, “Nobody cares!”</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile on Mobius circa 1995, Rob O Rose, older cousin twice removed and legal guardian of baby Amy Rose... accidentally learned that said baby is really good at darts and he shouldn’t take her to bars.</p><p>Rob O Rose is a hedgehog that became teal two years ago, wearing a brown hoodie and cargo shorts, usually seen with Amy Rose, a five month old pink hedgehog with messy fur and quills, strapped to his chest with a baby harness.</p><p>The next day he bought a dart board and safer, magnet darts and helped her sit up.</p><p><em>Amy Rose is f***ing good at playing darts, what the f***!</em> Rob thought to himself.</p><p>He gives her a tiny bow and a sticky arrow. She tries eating it because she is a baby.</p><p><em>Maybe being a parent isn’t a bad idea?</em> he thought to himself.</p><p>The following day, he got his paycheck and cashed everything he could on Amy and her talent. Carefully turning around the room and giving her darts, she threw them at the dartboards that made a sound she liked.</p><p>After a couple hours of this she fell asleep.</p><p>Rob O Rose grabbed his baby care kit and a ready bottle of formula, leaving his apartment to meet up with his friends. After locking the door, he carefully flipped Amy to face him and he fascined a tiny neck pillow he got help making.</p><p> </p><p>Chuck brought four year old Nicky to the beautiful town of Park Avenue where one of the prisoner humans from the Space Colony Ark made food inspired his favorite fast food chain on Earth; The Sonic Drivethrough Diner.</p><p>Chuck froze when he saw the name on the outdoor restaurant. A small blue arrow was eclipsed by a bigger yellow arrow with gold red letters spelling out “SONIC”.</p><p>“It smells so good!” Nicky said from Chuck’s back. He tried to hop off but even in Chuck’s old age, he could keep up with Sonic. I mean Nicky. “Fa.. Fast... Food! Fast food! Fast food for fast feet!”</p><p>Chuck curbed his unease and took his nephew to... Sonic...</p><p> </p><p>Bernadette Hedge was an indigo hedgehog with a bleach tuft of fur giving her bangs and a well known babysitter who’s been giving Rob tips. She brought along an eight year old crockodile named Vector and his best friend, a six year old purple chameleon named Espio.</p><p>She had the two on child leashes that day, signalling Rob to keep his distance from Vector and keep an eye on Espio.</p><p>Espio kept hiding behind Bernadette when Rob set up the dartboard and made sure Amy was secured.</p><p>Bull’s eye.</p><p>Bull’s eye.</p><p>Bull’s eye.</p><p>“Looks like you have a little prodigy on you!” Bernadette complimented.</p><p>Rob quickly checked himself for a mess, “Not again!”</p><p> </p><p>Nicky <em>really</em> likes chili dogs. Chuck bought a regular and a foot long and Nicky stole the foot long! They even had these thick, frozen treat drinks called Sonic Blasts... and sugar and Nicky DO NOT MIX.</p><p>Chuck opened a ring portal back home had Nicky go through the practice courses... and then it happened. Unlike how they usually go through the uneven track, Sonic charged a spin dash in place and launched himself but instead of unrolling, he somehow bounced upwards, angled his spin against some inclines, drifted along curves, and leaped over a sand pit, unrolling in a double backflip before landing, turning and flopping over.</p><p>Chuck picked up the sleeping Nicky, wondering he witnessed a sample of was to come...</p><p> </p><p>February of 1995, the Knuckles clan finally won the Echidna Civil War but the tribe is too small.</p><p>In their brief visit to the Earth with the Emerald Shrines, some Echidnas were shot down by the humans. When they returned to Mobius years ago, everyone advanced enough to no longer fear the tribe.</p><p>One blue hedgehog actually dared to touch the Master Emerald by himself and was mutated because of it. Chieftain Locke gave the now green fool a couple deep wounds and would have finished the job but the Mobian vanished.</p><p>Four year old Knuckles stood in front of the Master Emerald, joining in evening ritual.</p><p>“The theven Chaoth Emeraldth are the therverth... Our hearth in.ten.thify their power... The controller therveth to unify the chaoth!”</p><p>Locke gave Knuckles a pat on the back, smiling at his progress. He still had a lisp but at least he remembered Tikal’s Prayer. It was a great day for the youngest Echidna in the tribe...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Honestly I’m trying to rush through everything so I can get back to what little I actually planned.</p><p>Also I know this is Teen but I don’t like cursing.</p><p>I can’t wait to get to Little Planet but I also don’t want to go.<br/>I don’t want to go.</p><p>LAST EDIT: I have the worst autocorrect. Most of the spelling errors are from me not catching that my keyboard app replaced “dared” with “cared” every few seconds.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I hope I remember to include the time travel segments.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>S</strong>eptember 1995, Long Claw and her unofficially adopted son watched as Little Planet rose out of the sky, fearing what they will return to next year.</p><p>“Why is it going away?” Nicky asked, worried. “Why is it leaving with Uncle Chuck?!”</p><p>Long Claw was a very large owl who wore gold armor and towered over her father like a guardian angel... She was <em>supposed</em> to be his guardian angel.</p><p>Chuck never let go of his family; he ran past a future signpost to seek vengeance in the future, leaving Nicky behind in his vendetta against the man that sent familiar robots through time.</p><p>Long Claw’s heart would have ached for her late father and lost home but she needed to learn how to care for a hedgehog that can outrun the wind.</p><p> </p><p>An Echidna scout glides over to Locke, bowing to him, “The mysterious moon flies away but with no guardian. The time guardian is taking place of fast elder, looking over the fast child.”</p><p>Knuckles listened in. He heard the fast elder was one of three hedgehogs that abused the Master Emerald in the age of steel but were given the gift of speed. The fast child was born with the gift. The difference between the two is that the fast elder will fight back while the fast child was hard to track.</p><p>Knuckles’ mother showed up out of nowhere and immediately slapped him for eavesdropping.</p><p> </p><p>Long Claw called up numbers of Mobians that owed the family, informing them of the current situation with Chuck and Nicholas The Hedgehogs, needing someone to look after Chuck’s farm while everything sort itself out.</p><p> </p><p>Bernadette helped Rob O move into a farm he was given to housesit. There were extra rooms built, giving Amy her own bedroom. The two story house was way too cool for its own good!</p><p>There was a weird obstacle course playground, some metal tubes, an indoor skydiving wind tunnel, and an indoor movie theater room.</p><p>Rob O Rose popped in a disc, watching a video on the projector.</p><p>An old blue hedgehog with a fluffy white mustache tried to keep a smaller blue hedgehog seated for the video. At some point the video sped up, making it look like they were running faster than physically possible before they sat down.</p><p>“Hello, my name is Sir Charles The Hedgehog,” the video began.</p><p>Rob O rolled his eyes, <em>Great, another ‘The Hedgehog’.</em></p><p>“And this my nephew and adopted son, Nicholas, but everyone calls him Nicky.”</p><p>“H-Hewwo mistaw camwa,” the little guy said.</p><p>“If you are seeing this, I’m either updating this recording or I’m going to be gone for an undetermined amount of time and need someone to look after my home. Throughout the house there are instructions...”</p><p>The video went over ground rules and how a payment system is in place.</p><p> </p><p>Long Claw and Nicky settled in the O’Tyme beach shack on Seaside Island near Hedge Village.</p><p>Nicky couldn’t sit still and kept circling the island and briefly got kidnapped by a trio of weasels before Long Claw stepped in. After Long Claw forbayed running around the island, Nicky took to running off rooftops.</p><p>The <em>one time</em> she could actually get him to sit still, blue electricity would build up over his body until he would start glowing. If he glowed too bright, he would vibrate. Vibrate too much and the whole shack would shake.</p><p>One time Nicky met up with a kid named Dave and things got quiet. Too quiet.</p><p>After bailing Nicky out of timeout, Long Claw flew them another location with places to for the kid to run.</p><p>Long Claw quickly learned that Nicky couldn’t swim when they moved into an abandoned Labyrinth. He tried his best to avoid the water but he keeps tripping on the wet floors, creating a fear that will stick with him forever.</p><p>...it also didn’t help that he found ancient traps.</p><p>They then moved to the remains of Sandopolis. Nicky was given new, brown boots and brown bandana, the latter was to keep sand away from his nose and mouth.</p><p>Unfortunately, a month later they found bloodied walls with the words...</p><p>
  <strong>“ L A S T   W A R N I N G ! ”</strong>
</p><p>... elegantly inscribed.</p><p>“I told you the floating lights didn’t want us here!” Nicky said as Long Claw took their bags and snatched the little blue hedgehog in her left talon. “I told you! I told you! I told you!”</p><p>Long Claw groaned, “You did, indeed, tell me.”</p><p>They stopped at a SONIC for chili dogs, a brief stop on their travels. The child convinced her to buy him ten regular chili dogs and honestly it was a bad idea from the get-go.</p><p>She chewed on the indestructible, infinite cheese of a mozzarella stick, thinking about the mysterious figure and his warnings. When she finally got the mozzarella stick devoured, Nicky pulled out a pamphlet he found, showing a tour for ‘The Green Hill Forrest Nature Hike!’</p><p>That’s when Long Claw remembered...</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile Dr. Snively and Agent Stone rushed to Robotnik’s beck and call, he climbed up the ranks fast than Snively and now he was in charge of PROJECT SHADOW.</p><p>“Your coffee, doctor,” Agent Stone, a well built, clean cut individual in a black suit and Robotnik’s oppressed sidekick.</p><p>“Your Snively Swirl doughnut, <strong><em>sir</em></strong>,” Snively said, holding back the venom in his voice.</p><p>He took the goat milk coffee and churro donut. He doesn’t always finish the donut, he brings the remains when he goes to get a closer look at Shadow’s pod and sneakily give it to the dark creature, who’s too drugged to remember his hate for cinnamon... except for today.</p><p>When this happens, it gauges how much awareness he gains, making Robotnik either change the drug dosage or avoid messing with Shadow’s stasis for a few months.</p><p>Snively doesn’t actually care what happens to the donut, eventually one of them will have to choke on it.</p><p>“Agent Stone,” Robotnik said, getting the man’s attention, “Do you have an update on the Bat family stealing G.U.N. equipment?”</p><p>“Operation Batman is a success but the girl got away.”</p><p>Snively turned to Stone, “The f***, man, that was a joke! We were supposed to bring them in alive!”</p><p>Robotnik rolled his eyes, “Whatever. Put them on ice and bring them to my lab.”</p><p>Five hours later.</p><p>A curtain was drawn over the preserved bodies.</p><p>Everybody was silent.</p><p>Robotnik made a whirring noise as he ‘mechanically’ turned to look at Agent Stone, “Stone?”</p><p>“Y-yes boss?”</p><p>“I know the best defense is a good offense but they seem to have... <em>I don’t know</em>,” he turned to Snively.</p><p>Snively put his hands behind his back, smirking, “Lost their heads.”</p><p><em>“Good job,</em> doctor,” Robotnik turned back to Stone, “I now have two headless Mobians with very human-esque anatomies. I want to know, can they see and echo locate? Can they see or echo locate? Do they have night vision? Tell me, Agent Stone.”</p><p>Stone froze, “I-I don’t know.”</p><p>“And neither will I.” He walks over to the frozen bodies and looks behind the curtain, “Hey, Snively, I bet you $20 those are fake.”</p><p>Snively chuckles, “Male or female?”</p><p>Robotnik looks over both the bodies before pulling out a tape measure, “How did she not die sooner?!”</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile Long Claw finished her shack on Turquoise Hill Island, the land was covered in blue and turquoise grass, checked dirt, hills, loops, natural ramps, and some parts of the island were soft enough for Nicky to dig his tunnels.</p><p>As June of 1996 came to a close, the guardian owl regrets not finding this place sooner.</p><p>As she sat in peace, a troubling thought made itself known. A rusted, metal device fell off Long Claw’s bag, accidentally turning on a red hologram.</p><p>On the hologram was an Echidna but she was wearing city clothes, an unusual sight for the secluded race. She warned Long Claw that the Echidna Tribe is hunting down ‘The Fast Child’. This message reminded Long Claw the mysterious figure on Little Planet and his similar warnings, the very reason they were in hiding.</p><p>“N-Nooo...”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Turquoise Hill Zone is an actual location in Sonic Chaos. My reasoning for the minor change is that The Paramount Sonic Movie depicts Green Hill Zone as a large island. Turquoise Hill fits the bill better while Green Hill is a popular nature locale that will beaten to a pulp by Sonic Forces but still thrive.</p><p>I accidentally called Sonic, Sonic too soon. I really don’t want to imply Dave the Future Intern gave him that name.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Return Was Never An Option</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>L</strong>ong Claw O’Tyme returned to Little Planet as soon as it returned to orbit, but instead of a beautiful green ball returning, metal and lights greeted her.</p><p>Nicky was getting antsy in his harness on her back. Tomorrow is his fifth birthday and she wanted to bring back Chuck by any means.</p><p>Long Claw could not recognize her home and her heart bled for the destroyed environment but she knows she can always rebuild but Charles cannot be replaced.</p><p>Suddenly there was a sonic boom, two blue hedgehogs were engaged in an epic battle of speed, the organic hedgehog kept dodging and beating away at the robot whilst keeping his face obscured with sunglasses and a bandana.</p><p>Her ran, engulfed in a unique power and moved in ways Long Claw couldn’t imagine!</p><p>She watched in awe as the robot fire lasers that were dodged, freeing animals from robot prisons and white capsules.</p><p>Eventually the robot got the figure by the throat and threw him through a time post, before following his adversary to the future.</p><p>“What was that? What’s going on? Can I see? Long Claw? Long Claw? Long Claw? Can I see? Long Claw?” Nicky quirmed even harder and the stunned owl lost her balance for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>Everywhere she looked, last year’s threat was almost completely gone; rebuilding was already underway. One thing she didn’t expect to see near her fortress was a tombstone.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>NICHOLAS O’TYME</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>20TH CENTURY TIME GUARDIAN</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>LOVING FATHER</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>1880 AD - 1994 AD</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>“WANNA SEE HOW FAR I CAN</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>KICK THE BUCKET O BOLTS?”</strong>
</p><p><span class="u">6.8M</span> Meters and counting.</p><p>Possibly infinite due to the nature</p><p>of the vast emptiness of space.</p><p> </p><p>Long Claw summoned one of the seven time stones, looking through the blue crystal to see her father’s impromptu funeral, watching Chuck carve the last bit. She can’t hear him but she knows he was devastated.</p><p>She willed the stone to show her Chuck’s future; will she see him again?</p><p>In her Wacky Workshop, Chuck was developing something when something snipes him. The figure from before destroys the machine and catches Chuck, the face of the mysterious figure turns in her direction.</p><p>She wills the stone away but the image of that familiar face is already etched in her mind.</p><p>Nicky returns with some flowers, placing it on her father’s grave while assuring her of the meadow he found... But she wasn’t listening.</p><p>She was eventually shook from her shock, Nicky holding a letter up to her, “You have mail!”</p><p>“Oh! Uh... <em>thank you</em>,” Long Claw said, opening an envelope and reading the letter within.</p><p>
  <em>Long Claw,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If we timed this right and I remembered we did: I want you to look at <strike>So</strike> Nicky during July 26, 2011 AD.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oh and I have some people wondering why we add AD when we write the date. Isn’t that part a given?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>One last thing: I can’t stress this enough. Tell <strike>S</strike> Nicky his future is going to be great. One Shadow The Hedgehog in the world is good enough and everybody needs a Nicky.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>- Sonic ΣΟ&lt;O</em>
</p><p>A green crystal was summoned, Long Claw looked at Nicky through the crystal...</p><p> </p><p>Back in Turquoise Hill Island, Long Claw tests the Time Mask she created where she can keep a close eye on Little Planet’s timeline while watching Nicky.</p><p>Everything had been peaceful but the thought of the Echidna ambush waiting for them when they left Little Planet stuck to her mind.</p><p>There weren’t many Mobians on the island but as of October 1996, the majority of their neighbors fled in fear of something.</p><p>She failed to see her own future, being too late to be strict with Nicky.</p><p> </p><p>Napping on her perch, Long Claw woke up to Nicky bumping into her while rolled up in a ball, peeking through his quills.</p><p><em>He ran without her permission, again,</em> Long Claw thought to herself, “Nicky, someone could have seen you!”</p><p>“No one saw me! I’m too fast!” he ran in place to emphasize his point before stopping, “And I wanted to bring you this!”</p><p>As Nicky pulled out a spiked sunflower, Long Claw spotted Echidnas in their war armor, many with bows and arrows, some with nets, and others bashing their knuckles together.</p><p>“GET DOWN!” Long Claw shouted, closing the shack door and covering the little guy with her body.</p><p>Arrows riddled the shack, some even flew through the walls. Luckily, so could the owl lady. Bursting through the back window, Long Claw grabbed the ring pouch 3 and Sonic on her way out. The new pouch pulled in rings, their power was used to open portals that launched arrows back at their pursuing threat until one arrow flew true under Long Claw’s left wing.</p><p>Long Claw braced Nicky as they crashed, attracted rings scattered around them.</p><p>Getting up, Long Claw placed Nicky on the ground, “Listen carefully, Nicky, you have a rare power unlike anything the world has ever seen! And that means someone will always want it. The only way to stay safe is to <em>stay hidden</em>.”</p><p>Nicky watches as Long Claw shakes the golden ring pouch with the red ring emblem stitched in the front, attracting all the grounded rings to the bag except for the one she caught, throwing open a portal to a dark forrest.</p><p>“This world is one the farest side of the universe!” <em>Last she checked.</em> “It should be safe there.”</p><p>Nicky looked up, distraught, “I don’t want to go without you!”</p><p>“You must!” she said, handing Nicky the bag of rings she originally forbayed him from touching. “These rings will be your most important possession.”</p><p>“There they are, my brothers!” One Echidna called out, followed by the full raiding party. “This way!”</p><p>Long Claw looked down, “If you are ever discovered: use one! Never! Stop! <em>Running!</em>”</p><p>Nicky looked up at her expectedly while walking between her and the portal.</p><p>“NOW GO!” She demanded, forcing the child to speed through the portal. <em>Funny,</em> she thought, <em>I was born to be a Guardian of Time but I’m guarding a portal connecting two locations in space.</em> She braced for impact, wings stretched and talons out.</p><p> </p><p>The kid watched in horror as the portal closed behind him, unable to come to grips with Long Claw’s sacrifice. He ran back to the portal and she turned back to him.</p><p>“Goodbye, Sonic.”</p><p>The portal turned to gold dust as he ran through, still in the forrest he was exiled to.</p><p> </p><p>Nicky wandered the wild until he came across lights coming from a distant town. With no other plans he sped over to a building used his new green shoes he got from Little Planet to scale the wall, looking down from rooftops on the alien planet.</p><p>Orange and purple lights cover the streets as big metal boxes were opened, giving tiny, shiny somethings to strange creatures as tall as him to as tall as Long Claw.</p><p>“Planning your route, kid?”</p><p>Nicky was startled at the new voice, turning to his right he saw a black and red armadillo and a yellow flying squirrel Mobians in strange attire holding unusual, hollow pumpkins.</p><p>The armadillo eyed Nicky up and down, “Where’s your costume?”</p><p>“C-Costume?”</p><p>“Yeah!” the squirrel said, stars in his eyes, “It’s Halloween! The one time of the year where our kind get to walk amoungst the humans and <em>not</em> be in danger! I’m a manta ray fish!”</p><p>Nicky frowned, nervous, “What are hoo-mans?”</p><p>“Have you been living under a rock or something?” the armadillo asked.</p><p>“Not yet,” Nicky said, confused, “I didn’t know we could!”</p><p>They laughed, “I’m Mighty The Armadillo... Or should I say Mighty The <em>Vampire</em> and that’s my best friend Ray The Flying Squirrel!” He held his hand out to shake Nicky’s but the poor kid was confused. Mighty pulled his hand back, “You got a name?”</p><p>“I’m Nicky The Hedgehog? I’m sorry but isn’t this planet supposed to be on the farthest side of the galaxy or something?”</p><p>The vampire armadillo and manta Ray gave each other looks before bringing their attention back to Nicky.</p><p>“Let’s get you a costume, then you can work on your space alien act,” Mighty said, pulling Nicky behind him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I can’t wait for me to write the Sonic Generations part.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Halloween Tour</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What’s this? What’s this? There’s candy everywhere!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>H</strong>alloween 1996 is going to be the best Halloween yet! Not only did Mighty find a genuine Mobian from Mobius but he also found a super powered friend!</p><p>Nicky was a blur, appearing in several locations at once, trying on Child Small costumes and playing around with the toys in the costume store, scaring poor Carl for a bit before they escaped up the vent they came from.</p><p>Carl looked around, shook once the store stopped being blue, “What the devil?!”</p><p> </p><p>Six year old Mighty The Vampire Armadillo led five year old Nicky The Hedgehog Archaeologist and Manta Ray The Flying Squirrel as they walked amongst the humans. Some complimented them but otherwise they were ignored.</p><p>With Nicky’s speed allowing him to quickly acquire small candies and the Duo’s adorable delegation helping the trio get the bigger treats, the three were able to carry trash bags and make it out like bandits.</p><p>“T-This was fun,” Nicky said, disappointed that they couldn’t trunk or treat longer. “I just wish Long-”</p><p>“Stop,” Mighty said, looking back at Nicky from the lead. “I don’t know this Long Claw bird but what I do know is that she wouldn’t want you to be sad. You will safe as long as you stay near small towns like Green Hills, Montana or in underground villages like our home Knothole!”</p><p>“Speaking of,” Ray began, “How do we get these bags through the entrance?”</p><p>“I can open a portal,” Nicky said nonchalantly.</p><p>Mighty opened the secret entrance, “The floor is yours.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“That’s an Earth phrase for me letting you take the lead on this.”</p><p>Ray walked towards the entrance, “Guard the loot!” He backflipped, rolling down the large tunnel disguised as a tree stump. Nicky followed behind him.</p><p> </p><p>After starting their second Halloween in Knothole, the three rolled their bags when something stopped them.</p><p>Mighty slammed his face into his bag, muffling the scream before looking back at Nicky, “Kid, you’re about to meet the royal pain.”</p><p>Climbing onto Mighty’s bag of candy was a chipmunk in a cardboard robot costume, through crayon eyeholes, steely blue eyes judged the trio, “Every. Single. <em>Year!</em>”</p><p>Mighty smugly nodded at Nicky before looking up, “Sally!” She was unimpressed. “Sal?” Anger rising. “Gal pal Sal? In the hizzouse?”</p><p>From Nicky’s right, Ray shouted with a hand out, “Ring me!” The hedgehog took a step away. “C’mon, dude!”</p><p>“Oh no... you roped <em>another</em> one!” Sally said, hopping down. She paused as the stress made Nicky spark. “A-Are you okay?!”</p><p>“Y-Yes,” Nicky said, trying to hide in his button up shirt.</p><p>Ray pat Nicky on the back, “D-Don’t be shy, Nicky!”</p><p>Sally frowned, “What kind of name is Nicky?”</p><p>“Short for Nicholas.”</p><p><em>Beep! Beep!</em> [How may I help you, Princess Sally?]</p><p>Sally took out a modified Game Boy, “Never mind, Nichole.”</p><p>[Okay!]</p><p> </p><p>Mighty and Ray were grounded at their hut and Sally led Nicky around the underground village, eventually stopping at her hut to change out of the bulky costume, wearing a blue poofy dress instead. Nicky noticed she has poofy brown hair.</p><p>“You are from Mobius <em>and your favorite restaurant is SONIC???</em>” Sally asked again.</p><p>“We have a few hoo-mans on Mobius who missed their home.”</p><p>“So they recreated SONIC?”</p><p>“Yeah! They have amazing chili dogs, mozzarella sticks with very very <em>very</em> stretchy cheese, cold treat drink things, and onion rings! Uncle Chuck said onion rings make me fat so I cannot have any anymore.”</p><p>Nicky’s face dropped, the walked in silence for a bit longer.</p><p>They eventually met up with Sally’s friends, a fifteen year old cream colored rabbit named Vanilla Rabbit in a fairy costume, a six year old cyborg golden rabbit named Bunnie Rabbit in a pink poofy dress that match Sally’s dress, Antoine Depardieu D’Coolette was an orange coyote with slick back blonde hair in a blue prince costume, and a five year old purple obese walrus named Rotor in a red box car costume.</p><p>“Ugh, do I <em>have</em> to watcher <em>another one</em> of you?” Vanilla asked while fiddling with a device Nicky later knows as a Tomogachi.</p><p>Antoine flipped a strange coin, “Heads I win, tails you lose!”</p><p>Rotor shrugged, “I win either way.”</p><p>“How so?”</p><p>“I didn’t blow off my allowance for a bag of candy and pogs before Halloween.”</p><p>“I see that as an absolute win.”</p><p>“And I see that as less ice cream money.”</p><p>Antoine felt a part of himself die on the inside.</p><p>Bunnie was trying to reattach her robot arm after the joint failed again. Looking over at Sally and Nicky, she decided to wave her detached arm at them, “Hey, Sally-girl! Where y’all been? We almost have a boatload!” The hard, slow steps of her steel legs sounded like reverberating hoof beats.</p><p>Antoine looked at his barely filled bucket, “Not as much as Mighty and Ray.”</p><p>Sally rolled her eyes, “You don’t know the half of it. They found a new kid that helped them with their biggest heist and that’s before they could get to the candy in Knothole.”</p><p>Rotor frowned when he watched Nicky and Sally pulling a huge bag on a wagon behind them.</p><p>“I let Nicky keep his candy-”</p><p>Nicky was looking green, “Sally, I don’t feel so good. What’s wrong with the food here?”</p><p>Sally looked back, jaw fell, “You <em>ate</em> half of the candy?!”</p><p>“I don’t like the peel. Your Earth candy is <em>the worst!</em>”</p><p>“You ate the wrappers?!”</p><p> </p><p>Just as quickly he got sick, he quickly got better to everyone’s surprise. Sally showed Nicky how to unwrap a candy and he recognized the candy as a chocolate. Sally was confused; how do they wrap their chocolate in Mobius if Nicky hasn’t seen a wrapper before?</p><p>Vanilla let the two join in the trick or treating.</p><p>They visited Dr. Quack’s clinic, getting toothbrushes.</p><p>They stopped by a Mobian bakery, getting fudge samples.</p><p>They went door to door, Nicky meeting new people and filling up his bag.</p><p> </p><p>Back at Vanilla’s hut, the children traded their candies.</p><p>While looking through candy he wanted to offer, unsure of what he liked without the wrappers, he saw a familiar golden glow. Nicky pulled out a ring, adding to his pouch.</p><p>Sally and the other kids found rings in their community pile that held the unpopular treats.</p><p>“Sorry about that,” Nicky said, untying his ring pouch from his belt and shaking it. The pouch’s magic attracted every magic ring in the hut, including the rings not held on tight enough, and the rings phased into the bag. “I think that was sixteen rings, not including the three still out here.”</p><p>Antoine, Bunnie, and Sally looked at their rings.</p><p>Nicky curled in himself a bit, “Did I accidentally take someone’s stash? I-I’m sorry-”</p><p>“What are these rings?” Sally asked.</p><p>“And why were they all over my hut?” Vanilla asked.</p><p>Nicky nodded, “In that case; can I have my rings?”</p><p>“Five Butterfingers for zis ring,” Antoine said with a smirk.</p><p>Nicky dived into his bag, taking out six full sized Butterfingers and completed the transaction but the girls weren’t going to let the questions go unanswered.</p><p>“What are the rings, <em>Nicholas</em>?” Sally asked, seriously.</p><p>“How do you know my-”</p><p>Tensions rose rose as Sally and Bunnie felt the new kid was dodging the question. Nicky no longer felt welcome and images of the Echidnas from a few hours ago flashed in his mind. His body began sparking and the lights flickered as stress sat in.</p><p>He forced those thoughts away, instead focusing on the rooftop where he met Ray and Mighty.</p><p>“It was nice meeting you but I-” Nicky froze when Vanilla blocked the door and Sally held out her ring to him. He took the opportunity to take Sally’s ring but Bunnie had an iron grip on her’s. The energy from Nicky’s body climbed onto Bunnie’s arm.</p><p>Everyone was taken aback by his speed before he gave up and threw Sally’s ring on the ground, riding his candy bag through the portal and onto the rooftop from before. The portal quickly closed but not before Bunnie jumped through, landing behind him.</p><p>Looking around she quickly ducked behind the duct entrance that the trio forgot to fix.</p><p>“How are we outside?!” she silently exclaimed in shock.</p><p>Nicky was just a brown and glowing blue ball with an adventurer’s hat.</p><p>“T-These rings open portals?!”</p><p>The ball refused to speak, slowly backing into the bag amoungst the candy bars.</p><p>Bunnie tried sticking her head out more, “What was so hard about saying these are portals? Is that how you got here from Mobius?”</p><p>Nicky peeked out.</p><p>“This doesn’t explain how they got in Aunt Vanilla’s place,” Bunnie said, suddenly noticing that her arm moved faster than it should have. She began moving it, noting that it moved easier as well as faster. “What’s happened to my arm?!”</p><p>Nicky peeked out, confused.</p><p>“My arm hasn’t moved <em>this</em> well before it got roboticized!”</p><p>“Robot-is-sized?” Nicky asked.</p><p>“You know; Dr. Robotnik’s mean machine that turns Mobians into Robians.”</p><p>Nicky frowned, “What?”</p><p>“Robot Mobians.”</p><p>“Oh.” Nicky’s energy faded some as the stress left him. “Can you keep a secret?”</p><p>Bunnie frowned, “Why?”</p><p>“I’m not supposed to be around strangers that want my power.”</p><p>“Sugah, I’m pretty sure those bad people would need to catch you first.”</p><p>Nicky unrolled, sitting, “Can you keep a secret?”</p><p>“I swear on my father’s grave that I will keep a secret but you better not make me regret it.”</p><p>Nicky rolled over to Bunnie, letting some leftover blue sparks arch from his finger to her robot legs.</p><p>Bunnie jumped back, before realizing she didn’t fall over or cause a scene.</p><p>“My Uncle Chuck and I used our powers as backup power during power outages. Sometimes if we were tired from training and the generator wasn’t charged, we would,” Nicky pulled out a ring from his pouch, “Use a single ring for the rest of the night and the ring expired around bed time.”</p><p>Bunnie sat next to Nicky, “But how did the rings enter Vanilla’s hut?”</p><p>“Your turn; how does it feel to be part robot?”</p><p><em>That’s what’s going on</em>, Bunnie thought. “I can’t feel my legs, my arm falls off unless I save up a ludicrous sum for good parts, I was unable to walk for a few years until Rotor fixed me, and all of my new robot parts got stolen so I’m stuck with my original junk.”</p><p>“Can you shoot lasers?”</p><p>“Not anymore. Now answer my question.”</p><p>Nicky nodded, “Rings are everywhere but there are very few people who can summon them...”</p><p> </p><p>The two sat on the building, asking and answering each other’s questions. Eventually Bunnie opened a portal to her hut where Nicky crashed on the couch and proceeded to have horrible nightmares.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So you know how the Freedom Fighters are not in the Sonic games?</p><p>Also, mad respect to married Antoine but early Antoine might be roadkill.</p><p>Actually no. I will not kill off anybody on Earth (Rouge’s parents don’t count because she didn’t have any known parents in any canon. And also Shadow doesn’t have his game yet.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Welcome To Green Hills, Montana!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>“D</strong>o you have a nickname?” Mighty asked, helping Nicky with his large tent.</p><p>“Nicky is my name,” the blue hedgehog said confused.</p><p>Ray chucked, holding up the back half of the tent, “No like a special name friends call you or since you have super powers, a super hero name!”</p><p>Nicky thought about it, “Long Claw accidentally called me Sonic some times,” he poked his round stomach, “I don’t think I’m that fat.”</p><p>Ray smiled, “I don’t think she meant the restaurant!”</p><p>“Why else would she call me Sonic?”</p><p>“Because you’re fast,” Sally said as she walked up, wearing blue boots, black jeans, and blue vest. “Mach five is super sonic speeds that can break the sound barrier, creating a sonic boom.”</p><p>He doesn’t know what Bunnie said but Sally and by extension her friends check up on Nicky from time to time, especially if he’s going to associate with Mighty and Ray.</p><p>Mighty smiled, “Sonic The Hedgehog, The Fastest Thing Alive!”</p><p>Sonic smiled, “I like the sound of that!</p><p> </p><p>Rob O was teaching Amy how to brush her teeth when he saw something blue rush past the bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>Sonic hopped out of the portal with a dusty skateboard and red guitar, “New people are living in my old house. I’m surprised my old stuff is still there. I bet I’m old enough to play my guitar!”</p><p>Sally looked confused, “Why didn’t you just stay there?”</p><p>“Mobius isn’t safe for me.”</p><p> </p><p>Rob O stared at the note and the glowing blue quill in his hands. He replayed the message from his dad and the note in front of him. <em>Until further notice, this estate is yours. Dear New People, Sorry to drop in suddenly. I wanted to see the old place one more time. Take good care of the house! -Nicky &lt;O</em></p><p>He quickly turned to stop Amy from eating the toothpaste again.</p><p> </p><p>In front of Mighty’s hut, Sally decided to give Sonic the rundown of their tiny home.</p><p>“So Mobians take up less than 1% of the Earth’s sentient creature population and the majority of Mobians are the generation that never got to see Mobius. As a secret race being hunted as a government secret or by game hunters as trophies, we need to stay secluded. If we can find neutral humans willing to partner with us then we could see a drastic rise or fall in safety and secrecy. We used to partner with a company called PETA but then our enemy, the Guardian Units of Nations G.U.N., bought them and started harming any animal.</p><p>“Luckily our forest was turned into a nature preserve before then so we should be good for now.”</p><p>Sonic nodded, “Heavy.”</p><p>Mighty ran out with his own skateboard, “Who wants to go skating?!”</p><p>Sally sighed, “I’ll call Bunnie.”</p><p> </p><p>Sonic and Mighty held onto Ray and their skateboards, finding a mall with an impromptu skate park. Those who couldn’t fly to the top had to find disguises or have a human friend that will sneak them up top.</p><p>Bunnie and Sally joined as supervision but nobody really cared.</p><p>“Welcome to Green Hills Zone, Sonic!” Might announced as they landed.</p><p>“This doesn’t look like the nature preserve back home.”</p><p>Sally rolled her eyes, “That would be nice.”</p><p>“Who invited the wardens?” Ray complained.</p><p>“We invited ourselves, flying carpet,” Sally retorted.</p><p>“Well let me show you,” Ray pulled out a couple dirty cylinders and removed a square plate on his heels. “A whole new world!” he inserted the wheels, pushing the ground with his tail, he rolled around Sally whilst balancing on his heels.</p><p>Bunnie smirked, “That’s new.”</p><p>“I call them Rolly’s and once I find out how to patent these I’m going to rub my success in Claire Voyance’s face!”</p><p>Mighty laughed and laughed, “The green monkey will be green<em>er</em> with envy once you glide past her slip shoes!”</p><p>A green howler monkey punk immediately threw away some weird shoes, screaming about how they’re cursed before walking off. A human walked up to the shoes and took them without a word.</p><p>“I guess you’re too late, bud.”</p><p>“Guys,” Sally said, pointing up, “Is that Rouge?”</p><p>On the furthest half pipe, obscuring an overhead light, a bat shaped person stood. They went down the half pipe, going up and grinding along the other side before rolling to the other side, catching the top, and racing back down but she made a turn towards some rails and grind along them.</p><p>Her attention quickly changed as she rolled towards the group.</p><p>She was a tan bat with dark purple wings, her head has white fur with long, white hair that ended a little past her shoulders, and big ears. She wore a black tank top with white trim and pink hearts hand stitched in the front and loose black pants with white lotus flower patterns decorating the shins.</p><p>“Mighty,” she said sternly. “Where my $20?”</p><p>Mighty looked around nervously, “I have $5?”</p><p>“I’ll take that.”</p><p>“Uh sure,” he said. “I didn’t expect-”</p><p>Rouge grabbed his board and broke it over her knee, “Keep the 15, your board is trashed.”</p><p>Before anybody could question her, she sprinted off the building and flew off into the night.</p><p>Ray frowned, “Can eight year olds do that?”</p><p>Bunnie shook her head, “The rumors are true. She’s been working overtime on her gymnastics and took up martial arts.”</p><p>“But she broke a skateboard! A <em>brand new</em> skateboard!” Mighty added.</p><p>A purple weasels rolled up on his skates, “Ay Might! Where me five bucks?!”</p><p>“Rouge took it; she sounded mad.”</p><p>“Broads gone mad! She’s hoarding stolen goods in her cave.”</p><p>Sally frowned, “And how do you know this, Nack?”</p><p>Nack took off his hat, showing a burn mark, “She shot at me head with a metal rabbit leg! Guess who’s?”</p><p> </p><p>Robotnik wandered through the storage unit, looking through objects recovered from PROJECT SHADOW.</p><p>“Seen it. Seen it. Broke it. Seen it. That pen is rrroyal blue. Seen it. Seen...” Robotnik stopped, the giant yellow diamond began to glow. “Well, <em>this</em> I have to see.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I don’t know why but I wanted Ray to have Heelys and name drop a random Sonic IDW character... But then I read up on the history of Heelys and SOAP shoes.</p><p>I kid you not, I accidentally (without prior knowledge) kept getting my thoughts realized.</p><p>The SOAP brand was made in 1997, Heelys were patented in 1999 but the Heelys brand (formerly Heeling Sports Limited) bought the SOAP brand.</p><p>SOAP was only popular because of Sonic Adventure 2.</p><p>I then had a thought “What if Mighty made SOAPs and he and Ray combined their shoe technologies? LoL”</p><p>Heelys made six hybrid Heely SOAPs in 2003.</p><p>Also: SOAP shoes are a cursed brand and product. The commercial kill count is three big companies. They almost killed Heelys and they probably tried to kill Sonic.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Country Roads</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>S</strong>onic, Mighty, Ray, Sally, and Bunnie wandered the forest above Knothole, looking for Rouge’s Cave. According to Nack, he left carved markers that hint the cave’s location. Somebody found markers but were completely clueless on their meaning.</p><p>“Nichole, what does this symbol mean?” Sally asked her portable computer, turning the Game Boy camera to look at the symbol.</p><p>Sonic walked up, “That looks like a Mobian Bumper. My Uncle Chuck was helping a war buddy make these as safer spring pads but he disappeared. The bumper wasn’t finished so they just made slight changes to the spring and gave the platform that design.”</p><p>[That symbol resembles a Mobius Bumper, used in pinball machines in the 1980’s to launch small metal balls called pinballs.] Nichole replied, impressing Sonic but making Sally’s eyes roll.</p><p>Sonic reached under his brown bandana and pulled out a laser light, placing the tail of the light on the bumper symbol, finding another one at the end of the laser.</p><p>Sally smirked, “Where did you get that idea?”</p><p>“Springs and bumpers used to be everywhere on Mobius until someone discovered their biggest flaw: Bounce traps. Made to bounce you so hard that you bounce off other springs. Some were simple square paths while others were traps disguised as trails.”</p><p>The five kids followed the last path until they an R in a circle. Sonic looked behind him, finding a striped circle with “UP” carved in.</p><p>Ray climbed the tree, shining the laser from one bumper to another.</p><p>Everyone crossed over a massive river with crazy rapids and continued following Ray until he glide back down to the ground, leading the group to a rocky landscape to hike.</p><p>The laser found something shiny and followed to a rock with a hinge screwed into the ground.</p><p>Sally tilted the secured rock, finding part of the stone ground carved in a circle with a blue marble in the middle. Tiny painted letters displayed “GOAL”.</p><p>Mighty and Bunnie pushed everyone into a nearby bush, pointing up.</p><p>Rouge flew overhead with a large bag of ill gotten gain, landing at the mouth of a small cave entrance. Looking around she didn’t spot anything off, shrugged, and pulled out a stick with a dead fish on it as she strut into her cave.</p><p>Sally wanted to formulate a plan but the only real person with her was Bunnie; the boys just left behind a brief afterimage.</p><p>The two look out to see the trio open a brief portal and land above the cave.</p><p>Bunnie pulled out a coin purse full of rings, joining them. Sally notice there were a couple rings left for her.</p><p>[Power Low, Princess Sally,] Nichole announced.</p><p>Sally replaced the batteries with one of the rings, looking up when she heard a commotion. She opened a portal, watching in shock as Rouge pulled out a revolver, waving it around frantically.</p><p>[Full Power!] Nichole announced, making Rouge fire upon Sally.</p><p>Time slowed down as a ring powered Sonic rolled towards Sally, pushing her away from the bullet.</p><p>[CPU Increased. Storage Increased. Nichole.exe is adapting!] Sally was about to throw away Nichole when a girl’s voice cried out, [Ahhh! I’m so sorry! Is <em>Friend: Nicky</em> alright?!]</p><p>Sonic got up, holding the bullet between his pinky and ring fingers.</p><p>Rouge fired again but Sonic took out the rest of her bullets, dropping them at her boots. Rouge looked past Sonic, “My god, what’s that?!”</p><p>Sonic turned but failed to notice Rouge steal his coin pouch until the last second when he got it back, failing to see the handful of rings now in her possession.</p><p>Rouge fit eight rings on her hands, her body gaining power seemingly unmatched. She was as fast as Sonic, a black and white blur rushing around Sonic and landing swift punches and kicks that made him feel like a pinball as he was jostled around.</p><p>Mighty and Ray tried to step in but they were thrown in Bunnie’s flight path.</p><p>[Red Ring located, Sally!] Nichole announced, a tracker displayed on the screen. [<em>Friend: Nicky</em> isn’t the only one stashing magic rings!]</p><p>“How is-”</p><p>[Just do it, meatbag!]</p><p>Sally followed the tracker as Rouge flew around, dropping stolen explosives. She appeared to be everywhere except where her hoard is.</p><p>Nack wasn’t kidding.</p><p>Behind a pile of stacked sleeping bags was a large pile of money, gold, jewelry, gemstones, clothes, and random valuables.</p><p>Digging around, Sally would fill her vest pockets with what rings she assumed were magical in her search for the Red Ring. She also found Bunnie’s lost limbs! Well, the two that weren’t converted into a weapon.</p><p>Bunnie helplessly crawled away from Rouge as her robot limbs were once again removed, leaving her with her right arm pulling her body.</p><p>Rouge placed a foot on Bunnie’s back, pulling her long ears up to force eye contact, “Not so tough now, <em>Bun Bun</em>!”</p><p>Bunnies cried out, “Why are you doing this?! We’re your <em>friends</em>!”</p><p>“The same friends who ran away from G.U.N.? The same <em>friends</em> that didn’t stay to help me save my... <em>THEM</em>?” Rouge pulled harder. “My dad used up all the strength he had to throw me into some bushes. The monsters <em>vaporized their *******ed heads</em>!”</p><p>Might and Ray struggled to get up and Sonic was knocked out.</p><p>“And you think stealing is going to make everything better?” an adult voice called from the back of the cave. Challenging Rouge was a brown lynx with black stripes and long black hair wearing a purple and white dress with black leggings, a tail made of light led to Sally holding an unfamiliar device.</p><p>“<em>Acorn,</em>” Rouge spat.</p><p>The lynx turned to Sally, “Stick with the plan.”</p><p>Sally nervously nodded, rushing over to Sonic. Rouge let go of Bunnie and moved to counter but the lynx flew over, grappling Rouge who was confused.</p><p>“Don’t struggle; I am bigger and more powerful than you. Anything you do to me is null.”</p><p>Rouge tried to fight but her limbs would get locked into the lynx’s ghost-like body. “Who are you???”</p><p>“I am Nichole The Holo-Lynx; your robot overlord!” Her eyes flashed. “Moral Update: Robot overlord jokes will cease. Update: But I still own <em>User: Rouge The Bat</em> and insist she yield.”</p><p>Sally was pushing rings onto Sonic, trying to give him the power to get up. She began digging in his pouch under his bandana when she ran out, pulling out two rainbow rings.</p><p>Sonic quickly grabbed her hand, the two holding the ring as its power washed over them.</p><p>In the blink of an eye, Sonic threw the other rainbow ring whilst rolling in a ball mid jump, the ring faded away as it launched Sonic. Nichole deactivated her hologram as the blue hedgehog collides with Rouge, the two knocked out in a heap of rings.</p><p>Sally rushed to Bunnie, reattaching her robotic limbs. As soon as Bunnie’s arm is returned, she points over to Sonic and Rouge.</p><p>Sonic was violently shaking, attracting every ring in the cave but something was off as most rings left a trail of blue smoke. Those rings grew to full portal size, circling Sonic before merging as one ring of light, slowly lowering onto Sonic.</p><p>When the light and smoke faded, a lone book lie where the hedgehog was a moment ago.</p><p> </p><p>
  <a href="https://youtu.be/tVbIOloFokg">Once upon a time in the Kingdom Camelot,</a>
</p><p>A figure ran along a lonely road, a girl in a blue dress ran with her lavender cloak fluttering behind her as she carried a magic staff with an orate globe at the head. A pale face with blue eyes whipped around, releasing violet braids as she checked her back for her persuers.</p><p>She looked up to see a flying, gold and black armored horse. Atop the horse, the rider wore massive, black armor with tall golden shoulder guards and a tall crown formed from the top of his silver helmet. His cape glowed with a mysterious power.</p><p>He flew his horse ahead of the girl, pulling out a massive, spiked, crimson sword from its scabbard and tore a hold in spacetime, the portal leaking shadows and summoned dark beasts of many colors that blocked her path. Many were armored with various bladed weapons.</p><p>The girl was surrounded.</p><p>As they began their approach, the girl dug the foot of her staff into the earth, calling upon her magics as blue energy surrounded her.</p><p>“Ifaras zaras yezaras... Ifaris zaris yezarik...” she chanted several times, a shield of magic surrounding her. “O brave knight, swift as the wind! Heed my call!”</p><p>A tiny blue creature with brown shoes and a brown cloth around his neck fell from the sky, landing on his face with a satisfying <em>plop</em>.</p><p>“Being from a distant world! Forgive my abrupt... summons...?”</p><p>The large knight looked down at the creature from his horse, “I hope you dabbled in necromancy before-”</p><p>Golden fairies gathered around the creature, visible injuries healed as he returned to good health. He sat up, surveyed the scene and immediately panicked. He pulled out a blue ring from under his cloth, placing it on a single finger before picking the girl up with his gloves hands and fleeing the scene.</p><p>Monsters followed as the the girl internally panicked and her <em>brave squire</em> or maybe she was given an <em>inexperienced page</em>! To be slain by King Arthur himself would be preferable to this embarrassment!</p><p>The wizard girl found herself sitting in a tree as the little creature leapt off the tree with an elbow directed at one of the bigger beasts, returning it to shadows before bouncing off the others. The weaponed beasts were a challenge for him to dodge but once he figured out how to get their allies to harm themselves on accident... amazing!</p><p>The child picked her up again but with more effort.</p><p>“Oh no!” he cried.</p><p>“What is it?” Merlina the Royal Wizard asked, her patience dwindling but still intact.</p><p>“I tore my strength glove! If we don’t get out of here, I might have to rely on my rings!” he paused, passing Merlina a ring. “Think of the safest place you can think of and throw this ring-”</p><p>On the ground they ran and Merlina began to throw the ring when the child caught her arm and pulled them farther ahead of the creatures.</p><p>“<em>Now </em>you can throw!”</p><p>Throwing the ring, an unfamiliar magic eminated from the relic, the ring growing until a portal formed. Mist escaped from the other end of the portal as the two ran throw, arriving near the entrance to Misty Lake Pass.</p><p>The kid sighed, “Can you tell me where we are or what’s going on?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Country Roads Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>L</strong>ong time ago in a distant kingdom far, far away where Arthur Pendragon pulled out the legendary sword Excalibur and was crowned King.</p><p>Many years have passed and in that time King Arthur was regarded as a wise and just ruler by his court and people. He was praised by all, even blessed with loyal knights!</p><p>However he lost satisfaction in his glory and came to the realization that the seasons will change and time is lost, his season may one day come to an end. Instead of questing for the Holy Grail like his depictions in the scrolls of prophecy, he led his knights on a quest for the Scabbard of Excalibur.</p><p>His search led him to Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, who held his prize and would only provide the Scabbard if he could answer her questions three.</p><p>“What is your name?” she would ask.</p><p>“Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot.” he would answer.</p><p>“What is the capital of Assyria?” she would ask him, knowing that if his twenty dead knaves didn’t know the answer then how would he be any different.</p><p>“Assur or Ashur, depending on dialects, founded around 2500 BCE but was destroyed 614 BCE but never forever gone. Some claim Nineveh took over as the capital but there has yet to be any rock solid evidence.” he would reply, smug.</p><p>Nimue knew of his quest and believed no mortal should hold the power contained in Excalibur’s Scabbard. She had one question left and she had to make it count.</p><p>“What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?” she asked, challenging.</p><p>“Pray tell, do you mean an African or European swallow?” he asked, confused.</p><p>Nobody knew if Arthur knew what he had done. Nimue has to give him an answer or else she would need to answer two more questions to keep the Scabbard.</p><p>“European?” she said, unconvincingly.</p><p>“Due to many factors, the average velocity would be ten meters per second while the highest recording airspeed velocity is roughly eleven meters per second.” Though he answered with a glowing smile, his eyes turned cold, “But do you know the airspeed velocity of an unladen <em>African</em> swallow?”</p><p>Nimue couldn’t control herself as she reached for the Scabbard and began to bring it to Arthur. She didn’t know the answer; it was a trick question she gave travelers that trespass near her lake.</p><p>Arthur laughed as her hand reached out with his prize.</p><p>“Do you know how petty Merlin’s son was when he learned the truth about his father? My advisor you keep imprisoned in never melting ice within your lake? Many men died questing for your impossible question! He spent ages collecting swallows and you picked the one there was actual information on!” Arthur boasted, black smoke erupted from the Scabbard of Excalibur, corrupting him.</p><p> </p><p>“He was bewitched by the power of immortality its scabbard bestowed,” Merlina recounted. “He became immortal, summoning legions of underworld demons! He is plunging his kingdom into a world of horror and chaos! If you are the one destined to slay King Arthur, then we must act now!”</p><p>Sonic was floored. “T-Take out King Arthur? What about the immortality thing?”</p><p>Merlina pointed her staff onward, “Beyond this misty lake sleeps a sacred sword; with that sword-”</p><p>Sonic began to glow as a thought hit him, “Yeah yeah, I can get it! Super fast!”</p><p>“Wait, Sonic!” Merlina commanded, catching the little hedgehog. She casts a spell over his torn glove, an iron gauntlet with a gold band and red jewel materialized over it. “Good luck!”</p><p>Running along the river, Sonic reached his right hand out and took a rusty sword from the ground. Magic followed him as targets, apples, and barrels were summoned for him to practice. Spin dashing with a sword was proven difficult at first but then an idea struck him: use the sword’s weight as the start up momentum and use the sword as a quill substitute to continue the spin.</p><p>The spin slash was slower than the spin dash but packed a heavier punch.</p><p>Training became fun as he practiced swinging his sword and spin slashing through targets.</p><p>Crossing a bridge, he ran into the ruins of an old stone temple.</p><p>The traing magic ceased and Merlina’s voice was heard around Sonic, ((Sonic, look out!))</p><p>A large, teal dragon with a red underbelly flew overhead, blocking Sonic’s path and bring fog from the sky. It had big red eyes and a glowing crystal horn on its snout.</p><p>((Behold, the guardian of this lake: the Mist Dragon!))</p><p>It roared at Sonic but for some reason, holding the rusty sword made him feel brave. Braver than he has ever been. Brave enough to stand up to a whole Echidna Tribe plus two extra Echidna!</p><p>((Get out of there, Sonic!))</p><p>He didn’t listen. Sonic is five years and three months old and not backing down or running away anymore!</p><p>The big lizard tried to attack but Sonic was too small and too fast for the ancient beast to handle. Using his new spin slash technique, he climbed the dragon and then rolled from its left wing to its snout. Sonic stopped, rapidly twirling on his toe before swinging the sword clean through the crystal horn and breaking his sword.</p><p>The Mist Dragon was defeated. The dragon flew off in fear as Sonic landed, throwing away what was left of his sword before rushing away.</p><p>“Merlina, did you see <em>that</em>?!” Sonic called out, “I think I’m going to call that my Sword Twirl!”</p><p>“T-That was amazing! Defeating the Mist Dragon, almost like it was nothing; the mark of a true knight...”</p><p>Through the forest, guided by Merlina’s magic, Sonic found a cliff. On that cliff, under a massive tree covered in vines was the sacred sword, trapped.</p><p>Sonic bounced in place before leaping up the cliff and onto the ground near the sword. It was a gold sword with a spiked guard that resemble twin thunderbolts.</p><p>Sonic gasped, “This must be it!” He reached both hands out, holding the handle.</p><p>“Are you ready?” Merlina asked from below the cliff.</p><p>“Ready for what?”</p><p>“If you remove that sword and defeat King Arthur with it; You shall forever be the worst of knights, slayer of Kings!”</p><p>Sonic hesitated but steeled his resolve, “H-He stopped being a king when he got the Scabbard of Excalibur. We do not have to slay him; if we can stop him then it might be enough.”</p><p>Light glowed as he struggled to pull the sword, eventually pulling it out of the cliff.</p><p>“It goes by the name, Caliburn,” Merlina explained.</p><p>Sonic frowned, “It looks like it’s seen better days...”</p><p>“Fool!” the sword said, revealing a silver face on its hilt. Blue eyes glared into Sonic’s green eyes. “<em>You</em> are the chosen one!? <em>You</em> are but a <em>child</em>! You are <em>less</em> than a <em>squire</em>!”</p><p>“I-Is that a bad thing?” Sonic asked, scared.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Country Roads Part 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm back to fight my keyboard and this website for personal literature supremacy.</p><p>I really hope I don't lose a lot of progress. In fact, I made myself a spreadsheet to hopefully keep me on track.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>"T</strong>he sword has a mind of its own," Merlina said from below the cliff, "It selects its bearer."</p><p>"O-oh... I guess I need to put him back?"</p><p>The sword, Caliburn, rolled his eyes, "Do not fret, knave, many have sought to wield me and many have failed to acquire me. Though you are young I see some potential in you."</p><p>Sonic sheepishly smiled, "Y-you do?"</p><p>Caliburn glanced past Sonic, "Brace yourself, for I shall train you until you are worthy! First lesson: Face thine enemy!"</p><p>Sonic quickly turned, awkwardly flipping Caliburn to the ready position to face off against the Black Knight on his flying steed, "He's back!"</p><p>"En garde!" Caliburn challenged.</p><p>The Black Knight laughed as he rode out, "You are not worth the effort!"</p><p>Sonic pulled out a rainbow ring from his pouch, using it's magic to launch himself at King Arthur and made a mad dash behind him. They left the misty lake, running along city ruins along the countryside.</p><p>"What are you doing?! He's ignoring you," Caliburn demanded.</p><p>"He's a corrupt king; somebody needs to distract him long enough for Merlina to make a plan!"</p><p>The Black Knight stopped and began to swing his massive sword.</p><p>"Knave, remain calm. Swing your sword in time with your opponent's attack," Caliburn threw himself at King Arthur's sword, blocking and parrying each swing. "Your turn!"</p><p>Sonic blocked the last hit, getting Caliburn's blade hooked onto one of the grooves of Arthur's sword and threw it before jumping up to slash at the Black Knight.</p><p>"Good job!"</p><p>The Black Knight scoffed as he summoned his sword and rode off, "Pursue me at your own peril, weakling!"</p><p>Three shadow knights materialized as he ran. Sonic threw a good ring, opening a portal to drop one knight on another before slicing the last one to oblivion.</p><p>"Your use of these rings are fascinating!" Caliburn marvelled, "He sees you as a threat, don't let up!" Sonic threw another rainbow ring, holding Caliburn out as he launched himself, impaling Arthur. "That works."</p><p>The Black Knight disappeared briefly before materializing three feet away, using the scabbard to heal himself. Blue lights surround him as he slowly gets up.</p><p>Sonic gasped, "This could go on forever! He's immortal with the scabbard!"</p><p>"Aren't you the sacred sword, prophecised to defeat King Arthur?!" Merlina magically called asked.</p><p>"Indeed but this child lack the proper fighting skills!" Caliburn replied.</p><p>"Bah! A mere infant pretending to be a knight; go back to your mother. Train for 100 years and you would grow up but a fool not even worth slaying!" King Arthur summoned his steed and turned his back when something struck him.</p><p>"Don't you DARE talk about mom!" Sonic shouted. He glanced at the scabbard at threw a ring, attempting to open a portal and steal it when Arthur caught it, using it himself to teleport away.</p><p>Merlina caught up to the two, "For as long as he bears that scabbard; we may never be able to defeat King Arthur."</p><p>Sonic turned to her, "So what are we gonna do?"</p><p>"We must ask the scabbard's former owner how to hinder its power," Caliburn mused.</p><p>"Then we make our way to Nimue, the Lady of the Lake," Merlina concluded.</p><p>Sonic locked eyes with Caliburn, "Don't ask her how fast a bird can swallow!"</p><p>Caliburn stared back, "I don't think I caught your name, knave."</p><p>"I'm Sonic the Hedgehog!"</p><p>"Under my tutelage you are Knave the Hedgehog."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Country Roads Part 3.5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Upon Caliburn's request, Sonic took the sword to the local smithy to sharpen and polish his blade to look presentable to Nimue.</p><p>Inside the shop of swords and shields stood a purple walrus and his orange fox apprentice, both wearing eye shields and leather aprons, sweat dripping off them from the heat of the forge.</p><p>The two tailed fox walked up with a ceramic cup, "Water, master?"</p><p>The walrus accepted the drink, "Thank you, squire, I have no further tasks right now so you have until the next church bell to do whatever."</p><p>"Thank you, sir!"</p><p>"And yield from the foul, we best not repeat your last outing with them."</p><p>The fox nodded, "Yes sir, thank you, sir!"</p><p>He ran out, passing Sonic who recognized the walrus, "Woah! Dude, you look like Rotor but stronger!"</p><p>The smithy laughed, "I don't know a rotor but their fire doesn't burn as bright as mine. What can I do for you, squire?"</p><p>"I need you to sharpen my sword, please!" Sonic held up Caliburn.</p><p>The smithy studied the sword, "Ah... I know a fine blade when I see one. Too fine. How did someone like you acquire a masterpiece such as this?"</p><p>"Ummm..."</p><p>"Actually... Nay! I can't believe my eyes! Is this the sacred sword, Caliburn!"</p><p>"Indeed I am!" Caliburn responded, startling the walrus.</p><p>"Forget the gold, lad, I will personally repair this blade for free!" The walrus held Caliburn by the handle, "This won't be too long. Ye can wait or explore the town. I'll have this done before the next bell."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tails hasn't been born yet and I want the changes I make to have meaning. I'm foreshadowing Tails 10 years in this story's advance.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Country Roads Part 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>M</strong>erlina sensed one of Arthur's knights in a nearby forest making haste towards the village. Sonic retrieved Caliburn and ran on Merlina's orders.</p><p>Throughout the red forest, several shadow knights rose to challenge Sonic as he slashed and spin dashed through wave after wave, rescuing the townfolk traveling between towns. Eventually, Sonic found a way to combine his skills.</p><p>Holding the sword forward like he did through the rainbow ring but instead rolling into a ball, he found that Caliburn's blade gave his spin attacks more range at the cost of speed.</p><p>Blue lightning arched over Sonic in excitement as he does towards, using his new Sharp Spin Dash to fly through five monsters and clear a sixth with a twirling slash.</p><p>"Well done, knave!" Caliburn praised, "I've never seen sword work like this before but you seem to have used your strengths to better use me!"</p><p>"Thanks! My Uncle Chuck taught me how to use physics to understand uneven terrain so I figured instead of focusing on how your blade is slowing me down, what if I just throw your blade around and let aerodynamics and centrifugal force carry us through."</p><p>"...indeed? I didn't read you as a scholar! This is interesting!"</p><p>"I actually don't like school. I just want to run!"</p><p>Caliburn rolled his eyes, "Of course you do."</p>
<hr/><p>The two stopped their trek when they heard hoofbeats in the distance.</p><p>"Is Arthur here? I thought it was just one of his knights!" Sonic whispered.</p><p>A black hedgehog in ebony armor with red streaks stepped forth and handed off a black stick horse to a smaller, pink hedgehog in a burgundy tunic with a large backpack holding halved coconuts.</p><p>He drew his sword, lowering it to level with Sonic, "I have found you, apprentice knight, enemy of my king!"</p><p>His assistant ran off to a safe distance as he slowly walked over to Sonic.</p><p>Sonic stood firm, sword at his side, "A-And who a-are you?"</p><p>"I am Lancelot, knight of the round table and champion of Guinevere! I challenge you to a duel!"</p><p>Caliburn chuckled, "Champion of Guinevere? How scandalous!"</p><p>Lancelot glared, "Might I have the name of my challenger?"</p><p>Caliburn declared, "Apprentice knight, Knave the Hedgehog!"</p><p>Sonic shrugged, "Close enough."</p><p>Lancelot dashed forward, "Brace yourself Knave the Hedgehog!"</p><p>Sonic fell into ring under him as he threw a rainbow ring from above Lancelot, launching himself sword forward only to be deflected and thrown into the ground. "Wha... What?!"</p><p>"My master prepared us for your tricks! Fascinating trinkets these rings... unfortunately they can't help you now!"</p><p>"So you deflected the Rainbow Ring Drill? I have another idea!" Sonic used another ring to get out from under Lancelot and throw him off balance before getting back up from his fall to see a dozen Sonic's.</p><p>Suddenly Caliburn was thrown from one after image to another, quickly slashing at Lancelot before he could bring his own sword up to block. The Sonic's disappeared as one tried to pull Caliburn free from the tree he was embedded in. "That was a close one!"</p><p>Lancelot lunged at Sonic, cutting the tree in half and freeing Caliburn.</p><p>He growled, "Child, never turn your back on your foe!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Country Roads Part 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Felt like improving something.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>L</strong>ancelot wasn't fast enough. He was ready for the back slash but not the arching kick to the back of his head.</p><p>Sonic pushed himself off the knight's head to gain distance and pulled out a ring, powering up and he lunged out at Lancelot.</p><p>Sonic wasn't fast enough. The servant girl twirled the dented, cast iron pan in her hands, "Hast you no honor?! Mine master gave thou an opportunity to grab thine sword, a privilege very few are given and thou sullied his generosity!"</p><p>Lancelot gets up, dusting himself off, "Amelia! Servants are not allowed on the battlefield; wait for me. I thank you for your support but we are not sparring."</p><p>"Yes, sir knight." Amelia rushes out of sight into the forest.</p><p>Lancelot sighed, readying his sword, "Once Arthur rules every kingdom in the realm, kings would no longer be able to marry off their young. Who is your king? Why hast he sent a child alone to assassinate my king?"</p><p>"We have no king," Caliburn declared.</p><p>Sonic put up a brave face, "We serve the people of the land and winds of freedom! Walk into town sometime and see for yourself. I haven't been here long but I've seen what your king is doing to his people."</p><p>Amelia ran back to the two.</p><p>"AMELIA!" Lancelot was about to scold.</p><p>Alielia, holding onto their bags, shouted, "It's Robbing Hood!"</p><p>In a flash of pink, Lancelot's bag and Sonic's scarf was stolen in an instant.</p><p>Caliburn looked over to Lancelot, "Truce until we catch our common enemy?"</p><p>"Indeed."</p><hr/><p>Sonic and Lancelot leaped from tree to tree behind Robbing Hood, a pink hedgehog in a green cloak.</p><p>A white blur missed Sonic has a polar bear engulfed Lancelot's head in his massive hand.</p><p>"Don't let him make haste," Lancelot ordered.</p><p>Sonic nodded and used to ring energy he still had in him to jump farther ahead and land land on the ground, "Get back here you snake!"</p><p>Robbing Hood turned around with a crossbow leveled and fired but he missed, turning back around. This guy was strong if he could carry so much on him and still run!</p><p>Yellow glowing lights appeared from the forest, fairies showing up to support Sonic by giving him five golden rings. "T-Thank you!"</p><p>The fairies giggled and left as Sonic threw a ring opened a portal as Robbing turned his back. Sonic landed on the large backpack, startling the thief. Sonic made another portal and ground pounded Robbing through it, making Robbing fall from the sky and hit the ground, feeling the weight of his loots and Sonic.</p><p>"Little John!" the thief shouted, trying to get up as Sonic kept bouncing on him, making his arms slip.</p><p>Lancelot walked up, dragging the polar bear, "Little John can't respond right now, send another carrier swallow."</p><p>"Oh right, you don't have phones," Sonic reasoned as he got off Robbing.</p><p>Amelia caught up as Robbing Hood was pinned to a tree by his how arrows, "I will let you go, Knave, if I get to capture the infamous Robbing Hood."</p><p>Sonic snatched his scarf back, tying it onto him, "I want to know why he's stealing from us."</p><p>Robbing spat on Lancelot's boots, "You don't know? I fight against Arthur's tyranny! I steal from the rich to give to the poor since your king refuse to help his people! If he's not taxing us out of house and home, he's burning our towns until what remains is as black as his armor!"</p><p>"But I'm also fighting Arthur's tyranny!" Sonic exclaimed, "Why did you rob me?!"</p><p>"I saw you pull out a gold ring. Who else can afford that but a knight of Arthur!"</p><p>"I brought these rings with me from my home and I assume I can't go home without defeating Arthur."</p><p>"What home is this where a child has abundant riches?!"</p><p>"I think my friends call it America?"</p><p>"ENOUGH!" Lancelot demanded, "I don't care where he got his rings-"</p><p>Robbing's eyes went wide, "You will not believe how many he has!"</p><p>"I'm taking in one enemy of my king this day!"</p><p>Amelia looked over towards the unconscious Little John, "Master, I don't know if I can carry this scoundrel."</p><p>Lancelot glanced at the three rings on Sonic's hand, quickly snagging them and opened a portal for Robbing Hood, Little John, Amelia, and himself to fall through.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My spreadsheet is insane and now I'm tempted to make the Sonic Adventure arc but Tails doesn't exist, Amy is a baby, nobody that should be in their teens isn't in their teens, the Paramount-expanded arc hasn't happened so Robotnik isn't insane, and Chris Thorndike is still chilling in an orphanage.</p><p>The last one is important, I swear.</p><p>Spoiler: There's 2 Blaze the Cats and 2 Eggman Nega. Guess which one has to deal with Sticks the Badger.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Country Roads Part 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>"W</strong>ow! So he was one of the Knights of the Round Table?"</p><p>Caliburn smiled as they walked, "The mightiest of all and the closest to King Arthur. I don't know if we can actually defeat him but it was lucky that we found a common enemy. From what I could tell, he was learning more from you than we were him. It seemed that he was not as fast as you until Robbing Hood got involved."</p><p>Sonic frowned, nodding, "He also took down Little John. I can't do that; he seemed too strong."</p><p>"And did you see the dents in his armor?"</p><p>"No," Sonic admitted, "But I did notice how he took a few rings off my hand."</p><p>"The armor is just for show and sword blocking." Sonic and Caliburn made their way to the dueling ground when Caliburn noticed something, "Hark! Embedded in that tree!"</p><p>Caliburn moved Sonic's arm, pointing to... "Lancelot's sword?!"</p><p>A massive dark steel sword with golden spikes was embedded high in a tree. "That is Arondight, one of the sacred swords of this land! Why did Lancelot leave it behind?"</p><p>Sonic left Caliburn to stand while racing up the tree, retrieving Arondight, "Ugh. I thought you were heavy, maybe I'm just weak?"</p><p>Caliburn's eyes glowed, sending Arondight to Caliburn's pocket dimension. "We need to leave before Lancelot gets back."</p><p>Sonic grabbed Caliburn and raced towards Merlina's hiding spot.</p><hr/><p>Lancelot lifted Robbing's head out of a trough, the dashing rogue was struggling to breathe as water fell from his soaked face, "I will not ask again; where is Arondight?!"</p><p>"Tis not a riddle, knight, I left thine blade where you met the squire! Mayhaps if I'm fortunate, one of my merry men is wielding it better than the king's dog!" Robbing began to laugh but before he could be waterboarded, Little John broke into the room in a guard disguise and forced Lancelot's face into the brick floor.</p><p>Little John smirked, "A little birdy told me the kid got Lancelot's sword!" He unlocked Robbing's shackles and carried him out, "We need to ally ourselves with the child."</p><p>"Well, you just told Lancelot himself what he needed to hear!"</p><hr/><p>Merlina sent Sonic to a mystical lake with a pier, lined with glowing blue lights.</p><p>Sitting on the dock, the lake began to bubble as a pink hedgehog slowly rose to the surface, "I've been waiting for you-" she paused, the water stopping at her shoulders when she studied Sonic.</p><p>Sonic curiosly stared back at the pink hedgehog with quills resembling how Echidnas style their fur.</p><p>Her face turned red as she quickly sank below the surface, slowly rising back up with a blue headband with bronze charms of the sides on her head and wearing a three tiered blue, aqua, and white dress with bronze accents and arm's length gloves.</p><p>Caliburn quietly chuckled, confusing Sonic.</p><p>"I've been waiting for you, knight from another world," the lady of the lake glanced over at Caliburn. "I know why you're here," she said softly, "It's about Excalibur, isn't it?"</p><p>"Yes ma'am!" Sonic replied.</p><p>She escorts the two to a pavilion, using her magic to summon tea for them, "I'll tell you how to hinder the scabbard's power of immortality. I'm the one who gave it to him, so it's kind of my fault, see?"</p><p>Sonic took a sip of tea rather than responding. Not bad, actually.</p><p>"But still..."</p><p>Sonic learned, eyes locked.</p><p>"Whoever defeats King Arthur and takes his scabbard... Might end up turning out the same way, right?"</p><p>"I see," Caliburn said, understanding.</p><p>Sonic nodded, "I heard King Arthur used to be the greatest king but I'm barely a knight. I'm a goner if I touch that scabbard!"</p><p>The lady of the lake nodded, "I, Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, have three tests for you. Would you like to hear them?"</p><p>"Sure?" Sonic replied cautiously.</p><p>"First, free the innocents from King Arthur's dungeon. Second, offer compassion to those in need. Third, defeat King Arthur's knights of the underworld."</p><p>"I think we can handle that," Sonic said.</p><p>"Indeed," Caliburn agreed.</p><p>"Alright, you have three days to complete your test!" Nimue said, vanishing with the pavilion as if they became one with the fog that began to spread around the lake.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I had to rush this chapter. My bad.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Country Roads Part 6 (Alternate Nimue Scene)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This was just for fun.</p><p>I promise there's a line I won't cross but I never promised that I wouldn't lightly caress it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Teen Sonic</em>
</p><p>Merlina sent Sonic to a mystical lake with a pier, lined with glowing blue lights.</p><p>Sitting on the dock, the lake began to bubble as a pink hedgehog slowly rose to the surface, "I've been waiting for you-" she said with a soft, sweet voice.</p><p>Sonic curiosly stared at the pink hedgehog with quills resembling how Echidnas style their fur. Wait... Sonic took a step closer and realized who she looked like!</p><p>His face turned red as she rose above the surface, her body not disturbing the water, the fog keeping her modesty, "-knight from another world," the lady of the lake glanced over at Caliburn. "I know why you're here," she said softly, "It's about Excalibur, isn't it?"</p><p>Sonic pulled down his green sunglasses, letting them fog up so he could only see her silhouette, "I-It is."</p><p>"Knave, there's no need to be rude!" Caliburn snapped.</p><p>"And as long as she looks like a close friend of mine, I will tell you to can it, butter knife!" Sonic whispered back.</p><p>She escorts the two to a pavilion, using her magic to summon tea for them, "I'll tell you how to hinder the scabbard's power of immortality. I'm the one who gave it to him, so it's kind of my fault, see?"</p><p>Sonic nervously took a sip of what he thought was tea but rather a fine wine. Not bad, actually. "Yeah, it kind of is."</p><p>"Knave!" Caliburn scolded.</p><p>"Butters!" Sonic snapped.</p><p>Nimue crossed her arms, in constipation, "But still..."</p><p>Sonic leaned in, eyes somewhat locked.</p><p>"Whoever defeats King Arthur and takes his scabbard... Might end up turning out the same way, right?"</p><p>"I see," Caliburn said, understanding.</p><p>Sonic nodded, "I heard King Arthur used to be the greatest king. I'm not too bad myself but I'm still a goner if I touch that scabbard!"</p><p>The lady of the lake nodded, "I, Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, have three tests for you. Would you like to hear them?"</p><p>"Sure, name them," Sonic replied. Sonic wanted to get out of here</p><p>"First, free the innocents from King Arthur's dungeon. Second, offer compassion to those in need. Third, defeat King Arthur's knights of the underworld."</p><p>"I think we can handle that," Sonic said.</p><p>"Indeed," Caliburn agreed.</p><p>"Alright, you have three days to complete your test!" Nimue said, vanishing with the pavilion as if they became one with the fog that began to spread around the lake.</p><p>Sonic raised his green shades over his eyes, "That was awkward..."</p><p>"You made it awkward," Caliburn rebuked.</p><p>Before Sonic could take a second step, Nimue quickly materialized and kissed Sonic on the forehead, "I forgot to give my lake blessing!"</p><p>Just as she appeared, she vanished, leaving a brief afterimage resembling a naked Amy Rose.</p><p>Sonic got out of there faster than fast, face redder than his shoes.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <em>Teen Scourge</em>
</p><p>Merlina sent Scourge to a mystical lake with a pier, lined with glowing blue lights.</p><p>The green hedgehog in the black flame jacket, wearing red shades, and sporting twin diagonal scars arrived, thinking of how he can burn this place. The village was easy but this dock is surrounded by water in a world without gasoline.</p><p>Sitting on the dock, the lake began to bubble as a pink hedgehog slowly rose to the surface, "I've been waiting for you-" she paused, the water stopping at her shoulders when she studied Scourge.</p><p>Scourge smiled down at her, leaning on Caliburn, "Keep going."</p><p>Her face turned red as she attempted to sink below the surface, when Scourge caught her neck with Caliburn and Arondight.</p><p>Caliburn sighed, "I'm terribly sorry, Nimue."</p><p>"<em>I said</em> 'Keep going'," Scourge said, forcing Nimue to rise to the surface. He studied her up and down, "7 out of 10, my Fiona is better than you but you're not bad."</p><p>"I-I've been expecting you, knight from another world," the lady of the lake glanced over at Caliburn. "I know why you're here," she said harshly, "It's about Excalibur, isn't it?"</p><p>"Yes it is; start talking before I... Think of something else you could be good at," he said, smirking with sharp teeth.</p><p>Nimue sighed, "I'll tell you how to hinder the scabbard's power of immortality. I'm the one who gave it to him, so it's kind of my fault, see?"</p><p>Scourge nodded, "Obviously."</p><p>"You fool! Whoever defeats King Arthur and takes his scabbard <em>will</em> end up turning out the same way!"</p><p>"I see," Caliburn said, understanding.</p><p>Scourge laughed harder and harder, "I won't turn out the same way because Arthur is weak!" He leveled his eyes towards Nimue, seriously, "I'm the baddest dude in Camelot; that scabbard is a just a means to an end. Why would I want to rule this land when I got a bigger city to burn?"</p><p>The lady of the lake looked shocked, "I, Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, have three tests for you! Would you like to hear them?!"</p><p>"No," Scourge replied,"We're done."</p><p>Nimue's head floated away from her body as the lake turned red, her death unleashed the monster in her lake, including the half demon sorcerer, Merlin.</p><p>"Your granddaughter sent me, Gramps!" Scourge got on a black horse, "Let's ride!"</p><p>Merlin followed into the sky on a skeleton horse.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <em>Teen Sonia</em>
</p><p>Merlina sent Sonia to a mystical lake with a pier, lined with glowing blue lights.</p><p>The magenta hedgehog checked her armored dress to make sure she looked presentable. She embedded Caliburn into the ground and opened a hand mirror, brushing her long hair and staring at her family photo, "I will be back... Manic, Sonia."</p><p>Sitting on the dock, the lake began to bubble as a pink hedgehog slowly rose to the surface, "I've been waiting for you-" she paused, the water stopping at her shoulders when she saw Sonia.</p><p>Sonia frowned, "Were you expecting someone else?"</p><p>"That attitude is unbecoming of a lady in waiting," Caliburn popped off.</p><p>"Whatever you say, Mr. Buttersworth."</p><p>The lady of the lake's face turned red as she quickly sank below the surface, slowly rising back up with a blue headband with bronze charms of the sides on her head and wearing a three tiered blue, aqua, and white dress with bronze accents and arm's length gloves.</p><p>"Nice save," Sonia said with a thumbs up.</p><p>"I've been waiting for you, knight from another world," the lady of the lake glanced over at Caliburn, her face still a little pink. "I know why you're here," she said softly, "It's about Excalibur, isn't it?"</p><p>"Yes ma'am!" Sonia replied, "We need to find the sword or it's scabbard's weakness!"</p><p>She escorts the two to a pavilion, using her magic to summon tea for them, "I'll tell you how to hinder the scabbard's power of immortality. I'm the one who gave it to her, so it's kind of my fault, see?"</p><p>Sonia took a sip of tea. Not bad, actually. "I heard it wasn't pleasant-"</p><p>"But still..." she cut Sonia off.</p><p>Sonia leaned in, eyes locked.</p><p>"Whoever defeats Joan of Arch and takes her scabbard... Might end up turning out the same way, right?"</p><p>"I see," Caliburn said, understanding.</p><p>Sonia nodded, "I heard Joan of Arch used to be the greatest and first woman knight led by angels but I'm barely a knight led by a dullard. I'm a goner if I lay a finger on that scabbard!"</p><p>The lady of the lake nodded, "I, Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, have three tests for you. Would you like to hear them?"</p><p>"Sure?" Sonia replied confused.</p><p>"First, free the innocents from Joan's dungeon. Second, offer compassion to those in need. Third, defeat Joan of Arch's knights of the underworld."</p><p>"I think we can handle that," Sonia said.</p><p>"Indeed," Caliburn agreed.</p><p>"Alright, you have three days to complete your test!" Nimue said, vanishing with the pavilion as if they became one with the fog that began to spread around the lake.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <em>Teen Amy Rose</em>
</p><p>Merlina sent Amy to a mystical lake with a pier, lined with glowing blue lights.</p><p>The pink hedgehog checked her armored, red dress to make sure she looked presentable. She combed her quills, keeping the short Echidna style she liked.</p><p>Sitting on the dock, the lake began to bubble as another pink hedgehog slowly rose to the surface, "I've been waiting for you, knight from another world," she paused, standing on the water as she studied Amy then her reflection then back at Amy.</p><p>Amy furiously stared back at the pink hedgehog with quills resembling how Echidnas style their fur and thin but strong figure.</p><p>The lady of the lake glanced over at Caliburn. "I know why you're here," she said softly, "It's about Excalibur, isn't it?"</p><p>"<em>Not anymore!</em>"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Why do you look like me?!"</p><p>The Lady of the Lake froze, "I-I've always looked like this-"</p><p>"Has Arthur seen our body?"</p><p>"<em>Our body?!</em>"</p><p>"Answer the question, Nimue," Caliburn pleaded as Amy summoned an ornate piko piko hammer.</p><p>Nimue quickly ran over to a pavilion, the two in hot pursuit, using her magic to summon tea for them, "I-I'll tell you how to hinder the scabbard's power of immortality!"</p><p>Amy chased Nimue around a round table, knocking over the tea set as Caliburn tried to calm Amy.</p><p>"I'm the one who gave it to him, so it's kind of my fault, see?"</p><p>"And it's also your fault he's undressing us with his eyes!"</p><p>"I live in a lake!"</p><p>"<em>That's</em> your excuse?!"</p><p>"Amy, put down the hammer!" Caliburn pleaded.</p><p>"You want me to put the hammer down?!" Amy asked, magically switching to her large hammer, smashing it hard on the table and making a hole in the pavilion.</p><p>"You don't need to defeat King Arthur and take his scabbard," Nimue shouted, "You're already evil!" She dived down the hole as Amy dematerialized her hammer in pursuit.</p><p>Using Tails's hammer, the fan jets Amy towards Nimue who wasn't ready for the collision as they landed in a cavern full of sparking crystals... with a closet full of clothes.</p><p>The lady of the lake nodded, "I, Nimue, the Lady of the Lake, have three tests for you. Would you like to hear them?"</p><p>"You have so many dresses!" Amy screeched, "You have so much clothes!"</p><p>"First, free the innocents from King Arthur's dungeon. Second, offer compassion to those in need. Third, defeat King Arthur's knights of the underworld."</p><p>"You even have a padded corset like Rouge!"</p><p>"Youhavethreedaystocompletethetests, goodbye!"</p><p>Amy was suddenly teleported to the surface, awaiting her was Caliburn with an encyclopedia of swords.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Country Roads Part 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My tablet has been good to me for an hour so I'm going to try writing something longer. I'm also tempted to shotgun Black Knight.</p><p>Well, back to 5 year old Sonic.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>S</strong>onic looked inside his ring pouch to see what he was working with. He didn't need to check on a mountain of gold rings but he wanted to make sure he was good to go on the less common rings he and his family collected over the years.</p><p>That when he found something extra.</p><p>"What do you have there?" Caliborn asked.</p><p>"They look like Uncle Chuck's Light Speed Dash shoes but smaller and very... average looking."</p><p>Sonic took off his brown boots, putting on the red sneakers that looked like they were cut apart and hastily stitched and glued back together. Sonic put his boots in his pouch and tied the pouch closed before putting his bandana back on.</p><p>He smiled, "They're a little tight but they fit pretty good! Let's try them out!"</p><p>Before Caliburn could say anything, they were off faster than ever. Fairies summoned trails of rings, allowing Sonic to soar where they led. Sonic bounced off trees, rolled up and down hills, and even ran past a crying child!</p><p>A crying child?</p><p>Sonic made a beeline back to the the kid around his age. Another villager.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Sonic asked, "Are you lost?"</p><p>The child looked up, she cried out, "A great big dragon attacked me village!"</p><p>"A dragon?!"</p><p>She nodded, "It took me mommy and me daddy and everybody away..." The girl began to cry as Sonic shared a look with Caliburn.</p><p>"We need to find a knight that can handle that dragon," Caliburn said. "You are far too small to survive an attack from such a beast!"</p><p>Sonic smiled, "Well we found our knight; what's step two?"</p><p>"Turn back a few pages; what knight?"</p><p>"I defeated the Mist Dragon with a rusty old sword, I bet I can slay this dragon with a sacred sword!"</p><p>"You're making that up. No mere knight can slay a dragon; <em>Arthur</em> could only slay the dragon because he has my- <em>ahem</em>- the Scabbard of Excalibur!"</p><p>Sonic turned to the kid, "Where's this dragon?"</p><p>She calmed her sobbing, pointing, "In a big cave at the bottom of that mountain."</p><p>"Alright, I'm going to get your village back!"</p><p>Caliburn leaped from Sonic's hand, bouncing, "Wait! Are you really going off to slay that dragon? Now of all times?"</p><p>"Yes we are!"</p><p>"What of the Lady's tests!? You will never make it in... time..."</p><p>"With my new shoes and if the fairies are willing, we can reach the dragon, save the village, and be out in no time!"</p><p>"You can't be serious?"</p><p>Sonic sighed, "I know playing by my own rules is going to get me in trouble again but if my Uncle Chuck and Long Claw taught me anything..... Life isn't easy. We have to work for what we want. One day I'm going to be the fastest thing alive!"</p><p>"I get that but-"</p><p>"No buts! We're slaying a dragon!" Sonic turned to the kid, thumbs up, "I'll be back with your folks!" He grabbed Caliburn and light speed towards the mountain in the distance.</p><hr/><p>Sonic ran until he saw stone henge in the distance, "Looks like there's a knight slowing us down..."</p><p>The two froze when they saw an Echidna knight in crimson armor, sipping hot tea near a campfire. He wasn't like the other Echidnas Sonic have seen; this knight could tower above Lancelot and looked bulky enough to be a quarterback.</p><p>"Ho! Young apprentice knight! I, Sir Gawain, Knight of the Round Table did not expect you! What brought you to my training grounds?"</p><p>Sonic's heart was beating loud and her reflected on a month ago when he was hunted by several Echidna. Caliburn sensed Sonic's dread and even the knight saw it.</p><p>"Knave? Sonic, what's wrong?" Caliburn asked.</p><p>Gawain sighed, "That's not the fear of one so small facing a superior knight but one of a child facing a monster. Lo, this was supposed to by Gawain's day of peace but that peace is disturbed."</p><p>Caliburn lifted himself to guard Sonic, shaking in the kid's trembling grasp, "<em>Your</em> day of peace? Your king burns down the very villages he sworn to safeguard and you have a day of peace? Where's their peace?"</p><p>Caliburn stopped shaking.</p><p>Sonic glared up with tears in his eyes, "Tyrants like Arthur is why I don't have parents and their foot soldiers <em>like you</em> are why I can't have a family. I've started making friends and if I don't get ready, it will be more tyrants and foot soldiers that take them away from me."</p><p>Gawain stood up to rebuke as Sonic drew a line in the dirt.</p><p>"Draw your blade, Echidna scum!"</p><p>Gawain reached into some bags, pulling out twin swords, the Galatines. He crossed his arms, the curved blades guarding his sides as he ran, "You have defied King Arthur. This place shall be your grave, a warning to other children!"</p><p>As Gawain started with a flurry of quick slashes, Sonic didn't bother racing at him, opting to run circles around him. Faster and faster he ran that a miniature tornado was forming from the air currents and Gawain couldn't escape at first but then he dug into the ground.</p><p>Sonic stopped and dodged an attack from below him as Gawain emerged from the ground and attempted another flurry of attacks. As he fell back down to the ground, Sonic make a couple quick overhead slashes into Gawain's back and rolled away.</p><p>The two traded blows with the swords but it was mostly Gawain protecting his back from further attacks. Sonic lost himself a couple times, almost aiming for Gawain's neck before Caliburn lowered his blade.</p><p>Sonic threw Caliburn to the side as he threw a couple rainbow rings, launching himself with enough force to dent Gawain's armor and knock some sense into Sonic. He got up, took a deep breath and retrieved Caliburn, "Woo! Good fight but you're wasting my time."</p><p>Gawain took off his chest piece, "Stop! We're not done!"</p><p>Sonic smirked, "Right! I need your swords!"</p><p>"What?!"</p><p>"I have Arondight, so I guess I'm taking your Galatines?"</p><p>Gawain stood, "Over mine dying body! Engarde!"</p><p>Sonic slapped him with the broadside of Caliburn, knocking him over. Sonic frowned, "Why was I afraid of you, again?"</p><p>Gawain slammed his gauntlet into the ground, shattering the rock underneath, "To lose to a mere apprentice let alone a <em>child</em>... I have been disgraced!" He grabbed a Galatine and leveled it at his own neck, "Only death can remove this again upon my honor!"</p><p>Watching the scene, Sonic thought back to words his Uncle Chuck gave him and reached out, stopping Gawain. "Don't do this!"</p><p>Gawain threw Sonic to the ground, "You have bested me! A Knight who fails their king is unfit to live!"</p><p>Sonic raced over, keeping the sword at bay, "Isn't there more to being a knight than just serving a king? I don't have a king and yet I'm doing fine!"</p><p>"What?!"</p><p>Caliburn quickly took the Galatines and Sonic let go of Gawain's massive arm.</p><p>Sonic got his sword and sighed, "I'm outta here. I have people to save!"</p><p>Sonic took out a ring and sped off.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>The following scene was super fast and super graphic that the person in charge of storyboarding this epic rescue was fired on the spot. The person we hired in his place confused the LSD (the skill) scenes we wanted for LSD (the drug) scenes.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>We do not wish to depict a child hedgehog and a legendary sword getting baked so this scene is scrapped.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aside from watching too much Month Python, the real life writer didn't want to repeat the Misty Dragon fight with the new techniques nor did he find any immediate YouTube videos showing the fight.</em>
</p><hr/><p>Nightfall.</p><p>"That was impressive!" Caliburn praised Sonic back towards stone henge.</p><p>"There were a few close calls, too!" Sonic agreed, "I feel like I can beat anybody!"</p><p>"We can definitely take on Arthur!"</p><p>As the flew past on a trail of rings, Sonic called out, "Hi Gawain! Bye Gawain!"</p><p>Gawain looked up from his pot of stew and slowly waved.</p><p>Back on the road, Sonic noticed the little girl from before didn't leave her spot and stopped to check on her, "You've been here the whole time? Sorry about that! Good news, everyone's safe."</p><p>The child bowed, "Thank you. Sorry about tricking you." The little girl shimmered until she took the form of Nimue, "You have shown courage, strength, and compassion. I shall show you how to blunt the power of Excalibur!"</p><p>"The scabbard, right?" Caliburn asked.</p><p>"Of course," Sonic replied. "That's what's giving him his immortality!"</p><p>Nimue giggled, "I'm telling you this because you are a true knight!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Knight of The Wind Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>"S</strong>o I have to defeat the Knights of the Round Table and collect the sacred swords?" Sonic pieced together, "I thought Caliburn had us collect these as some... Knight trophy thing."</p><p>Sonic and Caliburn sat with Nimue at her lake pavilion, sipping tea and eating mutton and corn.</p><p>Caliburn turned to Sonic, "You were going to give me up if you lost?!"</p><p>"Not really, I assumed the sword chosen thing would get rid of that rule."</p><p>"You were going to give up Arondight?"</p><p>"In your place."</p><p>Nimue giggled, "Yes. The four sacred swords combined with your Caliburn, should dispel the power of immortality that protects him."</p><p>"Four?" Caliburn asked, "Don't you mean three?"</p><p>"Galatine is two swords."</p><p>"Acceptable."</p><p>The group heard metal footsteps as a green hawk knight in silver and bronze armor walked up, holding his great axe to Sonic and bending his knee, "I am Sir Lamorak; I came as soon as I heard word that Caliburn's chosen was found. I come with a warning; Percival, Knight of the Grail, has heard of your victories and is expecting you with her apprentice knight Sir Galahad."</p><p>Caliburn frowned, "Percival, Knight of the Grail. I've heard about her from passing travelers that illude the Mist Dragon and from the black smith. The blazing knight, she is as strong as she is noble. One mistake could be your last."</p><p>Nimue nodded, "And Sir Galahad, a blessed knight gifted with the power to move objects with just a thought. You must prove yourself one of great honor of else he will trap in you in your own body and throw you to your grave."</p><p>Lamorak stood up, leaning on his axe, "I am a man of great honor, seeing my peers plan to outnumber you contradicts the very code Galahad and I stand for."</p><p>More footsteps followed as more people showed up with Robbing Hood and Little John taking their lead.</p><p>"Is this a bad time?" Robbing asked with a smirk as Sonic and Lamorak drew their weapons. "Woah! Woah! Truce, my boy! I come with great warning!"</p><p>Sonic lowered Caliburn, "What is it?"</p><p>"Percival, Knight of the Grail and her apprentice have heard of your victories! They're planning on jumping you together!"</p><p>Lamorak laughed, "You steal my warnings, too?!"</p><p>Little John pushed Lamorak's axe down, "We got off on the wrong foot last time."</p><p>"Indeed," Robbing agreed, "And an old proverb once said; the enemy of thine enemy shall be thine friend. I fight because Arthur oppresses his people and you fight because Arthur is endangering his people."</p><p>Little John smirked, "And why is one of Arthur's lap dogs here?"</p><p>Lamorak glared, "I serve my King, Arthur of Camelot, but that <em>thing</em> is not my king and though I don't like opposing the Round Table there will be no Camelot if these travesties continue."</p><p>Nimue grew her pavilion to fit everyone, making more tea as everyone moved to sit a Nimue's round table, "If I'm going to have so many visitors, I would like them to be addressed by name."</p><p>A navy blue hedgehog with a braided, blonde tuft of hair stood up. She wore an elegant, pink dress, "I am Maid Marian, a lay in waiting in Arthur's castle. I trust Lamorak will keep my secret as we keep his."</p><p>"Noted," he replied.</p><p>"I listen in on meetings and work as a double agent. Since my warning has already passed, I'm here to provide a map of Arthur's castle and reveal Sir Galahad's weakness."</p><p>The walrus blacksmith from before stood up with his fox apprentice on his bicep, "The Merry Men call me The Tinker. My apprentice gives me idea and we tinker. If Lamorak or Caliburn is willing, I can sharpen their blades or provide smoke bombs. I craft Robbing's arrows."</p><p>A coyote that heavily resembled Antoine in bronze armor stood up, "I am Will Scarlet, ze diztant nephew of Robbing Hood and former owner of ze zacred zword Laevatein. Ze zame zword Percival now wieldz! I don't want my zword back, just my honor of ze satisfaction of watching a tiny child with a legendary zword defeat that great knight."</p><p>A portly human man with a bald head and huge, red mustache wearing a red and brown cloak stood up, not looking away from his puzzle box as he introduced himself, "I'm Friar Tuck, the strategic genius of the Merry Men. Robbing Hood and Little John are a great team, very clever in fact, but who's in charge when they're captured? Me. Those two literally carry this group to the point that there's no Merry Men without them."</p><p>A purple weasel with a large fang sticking out of his mouth in a tan cloak held up his crossbow to the ceiling, "Gilbert Whitehand, second best skill archer next to Robbing but the best distance archer. I used to be Arthur's Ranger so we can make our escape on some deer if need be. I say that but some of us could outrun them."</p><p>Will Scarlet got up and bowed to Sonic, "You have my sword." He held his rapier in front of him, blade down.</p><p>Robbing and Gilbert held their bows high, "You have our bow!"</p><p>Lamorak got up, taking a knee, "<em>And you have my axe!</em> You had my axe first, I'm just laying the facts down: Axe, sword, then bows. No other order!"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jet and Silver were in the game.<br/>The Robin Hood characters are just for fun as Sonic and The Black Knight is pretty dry.</p><p>Don't bother remembering them.</p><p>Robbing Hood - Rob'O Rose<br/>Little John - Bark Polar Bear<br/>Maid Marian - Bernadette Hedgehog<br/>The Tinker - Rotor &amp; Tails<br/>Will Scarlet - Antoine D'Coolette<br/>Friar Tuck - Eggman Stage 2 (Spoilers!)<br/>Gilbert Whitehand - Fang the Sniper/Nack the Weasel</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Knight of The Wind Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>S</strong>onic, Lamorak, and the fighters of the Merry Men climbed the nearest volcano.</p><p>Little John rock climbed with ease while Sonic, Lamorak, and Robbing Hood leaped from rock and ledge to rock and ledge. Gilbert pulled out his climbing crossbows, grappling the side of the volcano every few steps.</p><p>Will Scarlet watched the group and sighed, taking the stone stairs Percival herself oversaw the creation of.</p><p>Once everyone caught up to Will, they saw him in Galahad's telekinetic grasp.</p><p>Percival was a slim purple cat girl in white and steel armor while Galahad was a white hedgehog with silver and gold armor with boots that had turquoise jade toes. The quills on his head pointed in five different directions.</p><p>Galahad turned to Percival, "Lancelot was right about Robbing Hood's band growing arrogance but I never thought the chosen one would team with them."</p><p>Galahad and Lamorak locked eyes.</p><p>"I also never thought one of our own would be a turncoat!" Galahad threw Will off the volcano, spurring Robbing and Gilbert to catch him with climbing hooks.</p><p>Percival turned to Sonic, "I am Percival, Knight of the Round Table, servant of King Arthur. State your name and your master, sir!"</p><p>Sonic smung Caliburn and pointed a thumb to himself, "I'm Sonic the Hedgehog! I have no master except the wind that blows free!"</p><p>Lamorak rested his axe over his shoulder, "Sir Lamorak, Knight of Sonic!"</p><p>Little John pounded his fists together, "Little John, Lieutenant of Robbing Hood!"</p><p>Percival growled, "Stand down interlopers. As for you; fare well, Sonic, Knight of the Wing! Prepare... for battle!"</p><p>Sonic held a hand for the two to stand back, "Bring it on!"</p><p>Percival's sword Laevatein's blade ignited as Percival held it frontward, "Now I shall test your skill, Sir Knight!"</p><p>She spun as a pillar of fire towards Sonic but... something about that seemed... familiar. He grabbed a nearby rock, sliding it under the vortex, tripping Percival but she caught herself. Sonic rushed in, swinging Caliburn and forcing Percival to be on the defensive.</p><p>She shot a fireball that was dodged by Sonic, who dropped Caliburn long enough to Spin Dash into the knight, grab his sword, and block her next attack. As Percival pushed down on Laevatein, Sonic pushed up on Caliburn.</p><p>Sonic watched past Percival as Galahad prepared to attack the three Merry Men.</p><p>"Lamorak, tag in!"</p><p>Percival blocked the overhead axe swing from Lamorak as Sonic raced over to Galahad, drop kicking him. Big mistake. Galahad was collecting large boulders, causing rocks to hail from above.</p><p>Little John punched and threw rocks away and Gilbert ran for cover. Everyone was else was fast and agile enough to continue their fight while leaping from rock to rock.</p><p>Sonic passed Lamorak, "Tag in, watch Galahad!"</p><p>Percival growled at Sonic, "What did you do?! Does the Knight of the Wind plan to lead everyone to the Heavens?!"</p><p>"Why did Galahad keep boulders over our heads?!"</p><p>"Lies!"</p><p>"Whom among us can drop rocks from the sky?!"</p><p>After the rocks stopped falling, Little John and Galahad were tasked with throwing each rock into the volcanos or down the side of the volcano they were on.</p><p>Sonic sighed, "Ready again?"</p><p>She nodded, "En garde!"</p><hr/><p>"It took one Spin Dash to win," Sonic, Age 5, Former Missing Child.</p><p>"Just one?" The Interviewer asked.</p><p>"Have you been hit by one?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"It takes a lot of effort to break rock... and armor."</p><hr/><p>Percival fell off a cliff, falling towards lava but was stopped by something grabbing her midair. Sonic embedded Caliburn's blade into the rock face, stopping their descent.</p><p>"That was close but I don't know how long I can hold on!"</p><p>"Why... Why are you saving me?"</p><p>"It would be dishonorable not to," Caliburn replied. "Everyone deserves a chance in life."</p><p>Robbing and Gilbert lowered climbing hooks while Galahad caught Percival in his telekinetic grasp to pull up.</p><p>"Sonic the Hedgehog... Nimue may have considered you a knight by her terms but now I consider you a knight <em>by my terms</em>. You have mastered the code of chivalry, a code that makes up the foundation of a knight's honor. From this day forth, you shall be Sir Sonic, Knight of the Wind!"</p><p>When they got up, Galahad placed an arm on Sonic, "Normally I would have thrown you into that lake of lava for my king but you saved my master. I owe you a favor, don't make me regret it."</p><p>Caliburn took Laevatein and everyone peacefully parted ways.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I skipped ahead because I forgot about what happens Merlina's return onward and now I'm excited.</p><p>The pieces just fell into place on accident for me to use the Merry Men for more than an add on. I know they're not the focus but I brought them in and I'm sure as I will be that I won't waste them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Knight of The Wind Part 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>"K</strong>ing Arthur... we finally get to face him without fear," Will Scarlet marveled as he cleaned Laevatein. "Zree days of training and it feels like she never left my grasp."</p><p>Little John scoffed, "Speak for yourself! I have to use knucklehead's curved blades and I'm still not used to them!"</p><p>"Have you ever used a bladed weapon?"</p><p>"I carry a small knife."</p><p>Lamorak did a few practice swings with Arondight, "To think Lancelot threatened to cut my hand off if I so much as breathed on this! The weight is little different from my axe but it feels right."</p><p>Sonic smiled as the group walked along a long, winding trail. They didn't have an exact destination in mind, just look out for a castle on their left. The three days the combatant group camped on the trail, they practiced using their weapons on training dummies when Caliburn had the idea for three of the party trade their weapons for the sacred swords.</p><p>During their trek, Friar Tuck showed up in a carriage to speed the journey and help strategize. After being dropped off and their camp gear retrieved, the Friar wished them well but something about his behavior rubbed Gilbert the wrong way.</p><p>Robbing Hood took out a lute and smiled, "Here's a little tune an old friend wrote." He whistled a tune <a href="https://youtu.be/QLhYSw67pdg">and began to sing</a> a song the Merry Men haven't heard in quite some time.</p><p>
  <em>Robin Hood and Little John,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Walkin' through the forest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Laughin' back and forth,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>At what the other'ne has to say.</em>
</p><p>"You have to sing it how he sings it or it don sound right."</p><p>
  <em>Reminiscin', this-n-thattin',</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Havin' such a good time!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oo-de-lally, oo-de-lally golly, what a day!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Never ever thinkin' there was danger in the water.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They were drinkin', they just guzzled it down.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Never dreamin' that a schemin'</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sheriff and his posse,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Was a-watching them an' gayherin' around.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Robin Hood and Little John,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Runnin' through the forest.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Jumpin' fences, dodgin' trees an'</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tryin' to get away.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Contemplatin' nothin' but escape,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>An' fin'lly makin' it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oo-de-lally, oo-de-lally golly, what a day!</em>
</p><p>"We may be tagging along to help but maybe you need a witness to sing your song? I think once we end Arthur's tyranny, I will marry Maid Marian and we'll travel the world. I could be a minstrel like Alan-a-Dale was," Robbing smiled at the setting sun. "I can't wait for the day we can go to sleep without having someone to keep watch. No worried because that's in the past."</p><p>A gust of wind kicked up behind the group, standing where a miniature tornado had been was Merlina.</p><p>"Merlina!" Sonic called out.</p><p>"Who?" Lamorak asked, confused.</p><p>Merlina ignored everyone but Sonic, grinning, "I saw all that transpired in my reflecting pool... a safe distance away." The purple elf took a few steps closer to Sonic, looking down at him, "I have no words to thank you for all you have done."</p><p>"Thank you!" Sonic said, "But it's not over yet."</p><p>"We must defeat King Arthur," Caliburn added.</p><p>Merlina nodded, "As I'm sure you know, the King is on an island known as Avalon, just east of here."</p><p>Gilbert whispered to Little John, "The bridge to the castle is across the forest, we're taking the long way.</p><p>"You have become a fine knight!" Merlina praised Sonic, "Good luck on your journey, Sir Sonic! I'll await you at Castle Camelot, further down this road and to your right."</p><hr/><p>The party did not wait for dawn as everyone ran to their destination, excluding Gilbert who rode on Little John's back. Once they reached the most, Gilbert took out his straw and dived in, letting Sonic ride Little John's back as the group stealthily swam to the castle.</p><p>At the castle wall, Gilbert took a ring from Sonic and climbed to the top. That's when he spotted King Arthur riding around and the perfect ambush spot. He pulled on the string of his bow, a good ring resting on his arrow when he fired.</p><p>The ring expanded, making a portal for the Merry Men to sneak through. They gave each other thumbs up as Gilbert moved to a better sniping position.</p><p>The castle was oddly left barren, not a single underworld knight in it's halls...</p><p>Sonic gave everybody three rings before throwing one to make a grand entrance whereas he leaped through the portal and rolled around Arthur, kicking dust in the air as additional cover for the party before standing, Caliburn drawn and challenging the knight.</p><p>"I am Sir Sonic the Hedgehog, Knight of the Wind! I'm here to emanci- emensee- Let's settle this once and for all, King Arthur!"</p><p>Arthur laughed, "Child, it seems your impersonation of a knight has improved... somewhat."</p><p>"That means a lot coming from my muse!" Sonic taunted.</p><p>Arthur scoffed, "Then let us have another look at that <em>unsightly</em> swordsmanship!"</p><p>"It's unsightly because you won't see it coming!"</p><p>Caliburn lightly shook Sonic's arm, "Give it everything you have. Only then will you prevail."</p><p>Sonic nodded, "Bring it on, King Arthur!"</p><p>The Black Knight scoffed, "You shall regret the day you ever raised your sword against me!"</p><p>Sonic threw a hand full of rings that magically arranged themselves to allow Sonic to Light Speed Dash past King Arthur and throw a rainbow ring for a Rainbow Ring Drill that was blocked but immediately overlooked by a ring Sonic kept on hand to power his Sharp Spin Dash, rolling up Arthur's sword and striking his helmet before the blue hedgehog pushed off Arthur's head and landed in a backwards roll.</p><p>Sonic then ran around him so fast that he could throw Caliburn back and forth to himself, striking Arthur before catching the sword one more time for an up close upward slash to Arthur's sword arm.</p><p>King Arthur commanded his horse, running away from the fight like a coward.</p><p>"Get back here!" Sonic demanded, slashing at the horse's legs.</p><p>Arthur looked down and shakily rose his sword, hitting Sonic with a burning laser but a sunburn was more painful. Arthur healed his horse and kept escaping, holding up his left hand, darkness gathered before being shot out as dark balls.</p><p>Sonic dropped a ring, opening a portal under him to get the drop on Arthur. Standing on his horse's head, Sonic dueled the Black Knight before knocking the knight's sword away and getting a few slashes at Arthur before being thrown off the horse.</p><p>"Seems you have improved a bit," Arthur calmly stated.</p><p>"I don't know, maybe you should have honor like your knights and find out how much I've improved!"</p><p>More lasers and dark balls shot out and Sonic dodged them with ease.</p><p>"D-Do you actually think y-you can defeat me?"</p><p>"I don't know, why don't you stop running?" More shadows were shot out but Sonic deflected them back at Arthur. Sonic gave Caliburn a Red Star Ring to absorb, making him glow red as Sonic performed one last Sharp Spin Dash to Arthur's back, making his horse dematerialize and the king fell off.</p><p>Arthur turned to Sonic with the scabbard in his hand, laughing manically, "Heh heh heh... I am immortal. You cannot defeat me!"</p><p>Sonic began to laugh harder, "<em>I am Sonic.</em>" He mocked, "But they can!"</p><p>Three portals opened as King Arthur glowed, the sacred sword Merry Men took their positions around the king.</p><p>Sir Lamorak with Arondight to the king's left, Little John with the Galatines to the king's right, and Will Scarlet with Laevatein in front. The sacred swords glowed as the scabbard's spell was suppressed.</p><p>Arthur froze, "How?! How can this be?!"</p><p>"For the people you betrayed," Lamorak declared as he cut off Arthur's left arm.</p><p>"Fool!" The Black Knight spat, barely able to move, "'Tis but a scratch."</p><p>Little John chuckled as he crossed the Galatines and quickly removed the knight's sword arm.</p><p>"I am immortal! I minor flesh wound means <em>nothing</em> to me!" The knight shouted, convincingly.</p><p>Will Scarlet just stared at the kneeling, armless knight, "You have no arms left- <em>How are you still holding the scabbard?!</em>"</p><p>"Your friend got it wedged in my faceplate when I... Uh... Blocked his worthless attempt!"</p><p>Everybody looked at his arms on the ground.</p><p>Arthur hopped up, "Have at thee!" And began kicking Will, "I'm invincible!"</p><p>Will ducked as Robbing Hood ran by, cutting off the Black Knight's leg.</p><p>"I'll have you for that! The Black Knight always triumphs!"</p><p>Will caved to the peer pressure of Arthur angrily leaning on him before he got his last limb cut off.</p><p>Sonic was eye level with the knight for once, shaking his head, "I don't know what to say; you're pathetic."</p><p>Arthur looked at himself then looked at Sonic, "Alright, we'll call it a draw."</p><p>Sonic sighed, "There's not much left of you. I can't leave you like this and... I assume the scabbard is your life support- you're just dark smoke at this point! It would be cruel to leave you like this. Any last words? Words from the great King Arthur or from the tyrannical Black Knight?"</p><p>Arthur looked down for a bit before the Black Knight locked eyes, "I'll bite your legs off!"</p><p>Sonic swung Caliburn through the knight, his body and armor dissolving into the air until there was only the scabbard. Sonic raised Caliburn to the sky. They have won.</p><hr/><p>Merlina peacefully sat at the courtyard of Castle Camelot, awaiting Sonic as the Knight's of the Round Table approached her.</p><p>Lancelot in new armor crossed his arms, "We have orders from the King. Have you any last words, witch?"</p><p>Merlina got up, sending her magic staff away, "Your King was nothing more than an illusion my grandfather conjured up as a means to gain status. When he was captured by Nimue, Arthur gain sentience and knew the magic keeping him active would one day wane. The real excalibur refused him and was left in stone but Arthur learned of another power: The Scabbard of Excalibur. You know the rest of the story."</p><p>Percival, "You think we're going to believe anything you say?!"</p><p>"Merlina!" A voice squeaked out from above as Sonic, Lamorak, and the Merry Men fell through the portal.</p><p>Gilbert Whitehand looked to Robbing Hood, "Under Sir Sonic, we could be the new Round Table or maybe the Fellowship of the Gold Rings!</p><p>"The Merry Men are not disbanding and that's final!"</p><p>"<em>YOU!</em>" Gawain called to Sonic, "How did you come by that scabbard?" He looked around and up at the closing portal, "<em>Where is the King?!</em>"</p><p>"Wait!" Percival instructed.</p><p>"That's all that was left of him after he disappeared in a puff of smoke!" Sonic said, holding up the scabbard to Merlina.</p><p>Lamorak added, "Just like one of the Knights of the Underworld running about the realm!"</p><p>Merlina gave a smug smile, "There was never any King Arthur." She accepted the scabbard from Sonic before anybody could piece together what was happening, "Thank you, Sonic. With this scabbard I can erase my grandfather's greatest mistake..."</p><p>Merlina began to glow with the scabbard's true power, arrows shot by Robbing, Gilbert, and Will Scarlet taking a crossbow bounced off Merlina as she began to float off the ground.</p><p>"I shall make this kingdom... <em>ETERNAL."</em></p><p>The sky tore open, revealing Sally, Bunnie, Rotor, and a mammoth man looking down in horror as cars and humans started to fade into the world and Underworld Knights surrounded Sonic's friends...</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Knight of The Wind Part 3.5: Meanwhile</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bunny with her new limbs and Antoine with a polished rapier stood guard at Rouge's cell.</p><p>A butter colored polar bear in a red beanie and green boots walked in, ending Bunny's shift.</p><p>"Zo Bark," Antoine began, "Do I have permission to get Mighty back for not taking his shift?"</p><p>Bark glanced at him, "Who said Mighty had a shift? I'm taking both of your places; I just assumed you were skeptical of my strong, ironclad will."</p><p>Rouge coughed in the sleeve of her baggy, orange jumpsuit.</p><p>"In zat case, what icecream would you like?" Antoine said, heading towards the door.</p><p>"Cookies with cream."</p><p>Rouge rolled her eyes as Antoine left, "Can you believe this guy! He didn't ask me what <em>I</em> wanted!"</p><p>Bark smirked, "I think it's fair, seeing as you refuse to give us what <em>we</em> want."</p><p>"I told you everything I know! It was some book I stole from the local human library! How was I supposed to know he'd get stuck inside? How am <em>I</em> not the one stuck inside?!" Rouge got up from her cot and flew up to the top bunk, "It would be nice to hang around people with a spine for once."</p><p>"Quit acting like you're the only one who lost something and the world will move on as it should."</p><p>Rouge looked around the cell, still unable to find a way out of a military bunker. She looked down at her jumpsuit, "Hey Bark~! I'm taking off my jumpsuit~!"</p><p>"Your loss."</p><p>"You're missing <em>out</em>~" Rouge made a zipping noise with her pocket zippers.</p><p>"I don't see why I should care."</p><p>"You're totally buggin-"</p><p>Bark loudly sighed, "Stop acting like you're all that and a bag of chips."</p><p>"Take a chill pill! I thought all guys want to see a naked girl!"</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>Rouge paused, "I don't know, actually."</p><p>"So now we move onto something I care about," Bark pulled out a game board and colorful, cardboard circles. "Pog checkers."</p><p>"If I win, will you let me out?"</p><p>Bark shook his head, "Shut up or we stand in silence like we usually do."</p><p>"Fine! Fine!"</p><p>"Sodas or skulls?"</p><p>"Sodas."</p><hr/><p>Ivo Robotnik walked into his lab, "Apologies for being late, I was commissioned to make video games suck less. Look out for the Sega Dreamcast in the next few years. What's the 4-1-1?"</p><p>Dr. Snively looked to Ivo, "This gem," pointing to the amber colored emerald, "Can power a fleet of Apollo 11 if we could somehow store this power outside the gem. The only other thing capable of storing this energy is-"</p><p>"The Hot Topic rodent we have on ice."</p><p>"Ah, how could I forget the jalapeno popper incident?"</p><p>
  <em>CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!</em>
</p><p>The duo turned to the doorway, a figure in medieval knight armor leveled a crossbow at them.</p><p>Ivo sighed, "Aight, Grounder, your go!"</p><p>The knight turned as Grounder skewered him, making it dissapate in smoke.</p><p>"Where were we?"</p><hr/><p>The book began to glow with a brilliant blue energy as Sally, Bunny, and Rotor saw a portal open up, revealing Camelot from an aerial view.</p><p>Suddenly smoke spilled from the book as knights formed, various weapons ready. They were vaporized by Bunny's lasers but twice as quickly replaced with more.</p><p>Sally turned to Bunny, her robot arm starting the smoke and Rotor also firing a laser pistol, "You two are packing heat?!"</p><p>"In case PETA tries to "save" us or GUN invades our home," Rotor explained, reloading.</p><p>"Where did Mammoth Mongul go?!"</p><p>"Beats me, sugah, but we have bigger fish to fry!" Bunny replied, reflecting arrows and returning fire.</p><p>Sally pulled out a Red Star Ring, inserting it into Nichole to activate her holographic form. That seemed to help some but not enough.</p><p>"Bunny arm: 38%. Bunny legs: 90%. Rotor gun: 3 clips left. Holo-Lynx: 98%." Nichole informed, "We need to contain the invasion! Get out of the house and I can use my power to make a hard light barrier until User Sonic can stop this!"</p><p>Sally cocked an eyebrow, "Until Sonic can stop this?"</p><p>"I have a picture that speaks a thousand words, we need to go!"</p><p>Bunny pushed everyone out the door before slamming it. Nichole's form turned to an all purple color before breaking off into cubes that formed a purple, geometric dome around the house.</p><p>Sally checked her Game Boy, finding a picture of Sonic with a sword, surrounded by actual knights and men in tights.</p><p>"Please save us, Sonic," Sally pleaded at the screen.</p><hr/><p>Bark still couldn't believe how Rouge escaped! Armored shadows coming to her aid? How does that happen?!</p><p>Bark stopped when he saw another empty cell, missing Dr. Quack's son... Bean the Dynomite...</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Knight of The Wind Part 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I did some quick maths and realized Tails would be born for Sonic Adventure 2 but we need him for Sonic 2. I made necessary age adjustments for him and for future characters.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>"I</strong> shall make this kingdom eternal!" Merlina softly proclaimed as she embedded the scabbard into the ground in front of her.</p><p>The outsider world and book world slowly began to merge as Sonic saw his friends in the sky, struggling to fight the knights of the underworld before the monsters blocked them from view.</p><p>"SALLY! BUNNIE! NOOO!" Sonic called, reaching out.</p><p>"Sonic, get back!" Caliburn ordered, making Sonic backflip away from pink electricity arching at him.</p><p>Merlina became engulfed in this power before rising into the sky as a dark ball of energy, lifting the castle with her. Black spires shot out and rose to form a crown as everyone ran, Percival and Robbing Hood pausing to watch what was unfolding before continuing their escape.</p><p>Dashing from the courtyard, through the collapsing castle, everyone ran and parkoured past and over debris. Eventually the collapsing ceiling became too much.</p><p>Little John passed the Galatines back to Gawain as he punched falling bricks, breaking them. Sonic passed Lamorak's axe to Lancelot and Will Scarlet's rapier to Percival, allowing everyone a means to break the bricks... except Gilbert Whitehand.</p><p>Sonic used a ring to charge a Sharp Spin Dash, breaking through the blockage ahead and leading the escape as others followed suit with their own Sharp Spin Dash or with rapid melee attacks.</p><p>Gilbert stopped when he saw a light above him. Instead of wasting his last ring, he grappled to the top of the castle structure and shot a ring out in the distance and fell into a portal before the structure fell.</p><p>When he turned to the remains of the castle, he saw the large group break through the last castle wall to freedom. He waved down at them from a tall cliff, "Took you long enough! Get over here!"</p><p>Sonic opened a ring portal as everyone joined Gilbert in a single file. Little John, rubbing his knuckles asked, "Why didn't you do this sooner?"</p><p>"I was too distracted; what about you?"</p><p>"I don't know."</p><p>They jumped in the closing portal at the massive stone crown that sat on a floating island where Castle Camelot once stood. Above it was the portal to Sonic's world... if the book was in Vanilla's hut then all of Knothole let alone Green Hills, Montana would be destroyed!</p><p>Gawain mused, "So, it was all part of Merlina's plot..."</p><p>Robbing Hood sighed, "As I said before, children mentored by estranged, old grandpa wizards will lead only to ruin."</p><p>"Oddly specific but you're right," Will Scarlet agreed. "On ze bright side, Merlin himself could've done worse with his own plan."</p><p>"It keeps spreading," Percival sadly observed.</p><p>Lancelot lowered his head, "It's only a matter of time before the kingdom is consumed."</p><p>"GAH!" Gawain punched the ground, "The Knights of the Round Table! Must we simply <em>stand</em> and watch our kingdom's ruin?!"</p><p>"Really?" Gilbert sighed as Percival and Lamorak lended a reassuring hand on his shoulder.</p><p>Sonic got up a higher cliff behind everyone, "What, are you gonna give up, just like <em>that</em>?" Everyone turned to face Sonic, "Is that the best that chivalry of yours can do?"</p><p>"How <em>DARE</em> you?!" Gawain shouted as the Merry Men positioned themselves in from of him in opposition.</p><p>"It's like I said before... 'Isn't there more to being a knight than just serving a king?'"</p><p>A bright blue seal glowed on the ground, a holographic image of Nimue forming, "Sir Sonic is right. And there's still time if you act now!"</p><p>The circle in the seal displayed a map with four points.</p><p>Nimue pointed at the points, "Use the sacred swords to form a barrier around the castle."</p><p>Sonic was suddenly enveloped in a cyan aura, held in place as Galahad hovered over the group, furious, "<em>WHAT DID YOU DO TO OUR CASTLE?!</em>"</p><p>Percival stood in front of him, "Sir Galahad, stand down! Sir Sonic is not our enemy. Merlina the Wicked used Sonic and the Merry Men to assassinate King Arthur, who was an illusion made by Grand Warlock Merlin as a ploy for the thrown. Sonic has been betrayed and we have a common enemy!"</p><p>Galahad released Sonic and sighed, "So what now? We all lost! Nothing can stop her, it's no-"</p><p>Sonic pointed to the map, "We split up into four teams. Gawain and Little John will go North, I will go South with Robbing Hood, Lancelot and Lamorak will take the East, and the West... I want Percival and Will Scarlet together but I assume Galahad will want to follow his mentor but Gilbert isn't the best match-."</p><p>"<em>Oh my stars</em>, the castle!" Amelia shouted, dropping a basket of groceries. "This was the misfortune my tarot cards forewarned!"</p><p>Everyone looked at Lancelot.</p><p>"What? I knew she wasn't in there."</p><p>Galahad nodded, "But what about our servants?"</p><p>"They should be in the dungeon or the barracks. I sent word that Merlina had arrived."</p><p>Gawain shook his head, "Poor Guinevere..."</p><hr/><p>A white bat in a rose gown was drinking mead at a far away tavern, surrounded by empty mugs, "They just don git et... What if <em>I</em> want to be Champion of Guinevere? I never sayz I <em>had a</em> champion..."</p><p>The orange echidna barmaid was washing another mug when she glanced at the lady in waiting.</p><p>"More mead on <em>Gay wane</em> tab..."</p><p>"Sure thing Lady Guinevere."</p><hr/><p>"At least I have my Galatines back."</p><p>"Speaking of," Lancelot began, turning to Lamorak.</p><p>"I will slice off your finger if you so much as touch <em>MY</em> Arondight without my permission!" Lamorak jeered.</p><p>"I taught you well."</p><p>"Whatever."</p><p>Will Scarlet gave Percival another rapier, "The Great Knight of the Grail can adapt, I'm sure."</p><p>"I won Laevatein before, I can win her again," Percival mused.</p><p>Galahad glared past her to Will, who stood firm.</p><p>Gilbert walked up to Galahad, "I never got magic talents or sacred swords; you might be the strongest knight here but our unity is built on our alliance with Sonic."</p><p>The Knights of the Round Table gathered together and followed Lancelot's lead, holding up their weapons high, "For the kingdom!"</p><p>The Merry Men joined in as everyone said, "And its people!"</p><p>Sonic stood firm as Amelia clapped and Nimue's magic diminished.</p><p>"I'm counting on everyone here to do their part," Sonic reminded.</p><p>Percival locked eyes, "Sir Sonic, what will you do?"</p><p>"Once the barrier is up, I'll look for a chance to jump in."</p><p>Robbing Hood nervously laughed, "Surely you jest!"</p><p>Sonic shook his head, "Both of our worlds are in danger. I need to stop Merlina no matter the cost!"</p><p>Amelia took out her bags from behind a nearby tree and stuffed her groceries inside, "Fare thee well, shall we proceed with the appointed task?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Knight of The Wind Part 4.5: Meanwhile 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I just need to get a joke out there.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>S</strong>ilver rolled into a ball as he fell, hitting the ground but dispersing the energy in a random direction.</p><p>He got up, brushing the dirt off him, "Nice going, <em>Nega</em>, when and where are we no-?"</p><p>Silver looked around, noticing that he was alone.</p><p>"Nega! Hey, Nega! Eggman Nega where are you?!" Silver crossed his arms, "I don't sense him... but..."</p><p>The forest around Silver was full of life... The sun rose on a old day and Silver saw its brilliance! The sky was some kind of azure color, like a vast sapphire and there were fluffy, white smoke with no discernable origin...</p><p>He was really missing out on everything being Eggman Nega's warden. The sights, the sounds, the clean air. Ten times, hundred times, a million times, a billion times... This world is a trillion times better that it will be in the 22nd Century.</p><p>"Hey Chip," Silver commanded into his wrist brace.</p><p>
  
</p><p>"When am I?"</p><p>Chip's blue light pulsated as he cross referenced the data with the environment, "Mid November 1996."</p><p>Silver nodded, "We didn't wander too far. Any info on Nega?"</p><p>"Eggman Nega was here a year prior. April-May 1995. We were not ready for the return trip from Mobius and got separated."</p><p>"Hey Chip, what does the Logs say about the Chaos Emeralds?"</p><p>"The great divide lasted from 1994 to 1997. Mobius has 3 emeralds, Earth Beta has 2 emeralds, and Earth Prime has 1 emerald. The amber emerald's location is unknown."</p><p>Silver pondered on the information. He was stuck in a time and place where time travel was going to be near impossible...</p><p>Suddenly dark shadows rose from the ground, summoning armor to cover them.</p><p>"What?! What are these?!"</p><p>Chip scanned, "Analysis complete. Knights of the Underworld. We need to locate their book and... <em>ERROR</em>. Paradox detected. Defend yourself for as long as you can!"</p><p>Silver sighed as he threw knights into each other and destroyed a few with a Spin Dash and Psycut.</p><p>"This is pretty easy," Silver said, clearing the forest. "I could probably beat them and still feel like it's Round 1."</p><hr/><p>Silver wandered the wilderness, vaporizing shadow knights with a finger twitch and enjoying the breeze. He eventually found a river and cupped water into his hands, drinking it. "I-It's actually clean! Is this what we'll have when we save the future?!"</p><p>"Yes. Exactly," Chip said, filtering an honest response. His light turned red, "Danger! 5 o'clock!"</p><p>Silver turned, crossing his arms and telekinetically holding a grizzly bear in place. "That was easy-"</p><p>"Weapons detected!"</p><p>Two miniguns sprouted from the bear's shoulders, mowing the ground as live bullets traveled towards Silver, who let go of the bear to raise psychic shields. The bear transformed, looking more mechanical like a bear was grafted to a mobile turret.</p><p>"WHAT THE-"</p><p>"Badnic Gen 1," Chip informed, "Used as US Military automated weapon as less for replacement foot soldiers. Discontinued for 41 cases of friendly fire."</p><p>"Well this fire don't seem friendly!" Silver retorted.</p><p>He twisted his wrists, redirecting the flow of bullets back into the badnic, blowing up the bear.</p><hr/><p>"Shadow is the hedgehog of spirit," Robotnik speculated, "And this chump has mind powers... Then is there a physically superior hedgehog?"</p><p>"Probably a coincidence," Dr. Snively said, typing coordinates for more badnics to close in on the white hedgehog's location. "I don't know why we never picked up on him until now."</p><p>"Is he the faint signature we found?"</p><p>"The energy readings aren't what we can typically pick up with our radars."</p><p>Ivo nodded, "Are you saying my radars aren't doing their job?"</p><p>"No," Snively retorts, "I'm saying your radars was unaware of this detail and with the data we're gathering, it's <em>replacement</em> will do a better job."</p><p>"Just like your replacement will respect my genius."</p><p>"Stone is already kissing your ass, I don't know what you want from me."</p><p>Ivo smirked, pointing to the screen, "Do what Stone couldn't and bring me that hedgehog! And whatever weed he has stashed!"</p><hr/><p>Silver watched in horror as technology ahead of its time run up to him, ready to maim him.</p><p>He threw rocks and other badnics at each other as the Battle destroyed nature.</p><p>"Portal detected!" Chip announced as a blue hole in space opened up, several fireballs shooting through, defending Silver as he raised shields and disappeared through it.</p><hr/><p>Ivo Robotnik's face practically made contact with the monitor as he saw the portal close.</p><p>"My compadre in crime," Ivo began, "<em>What</em> was that?"</p><p>Snively sat back in his chair, stunned, "I don't know-"</p><p>"WHAT did it look like?"</p><p>"A controlled vortex, a hedgehog that knew what it was, and now no hedgehog. Either he killed himself in an anomaly that breathes fire or he's somewhere else."</p><p>"More like..." Ivo read the readings his badnics sent back, "Well this looks familiar..."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Knight of The Wind Part 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>L</strong>ancelot and Lamorak rush through the forest, followed by Amelia rapidly clapping two coconut halves together to simulate a couple horses galloping.</p><p>"Why do you make her do that?" Lamorak asked, annoyed.</p><p>Lancelot, holding onto a stick horse turned his head to the young knight, "You think this was <em>my</em> idea?"</p><p>"Yeah? Who's idea was it then?"</p><p>"Hers."</p><p>"And was it also her idea to carry a pack three times her height?!"</p><p>"Amelia is a kleptomaniac."</p><p>Lamorak looks back at the cheerful little girl, keeping up and not breaking a sweat.</p><p>Lancelot placed a hand on Lamorak's shoulder, "If any of us were to mentor her, now, she would be the most powerful knight in the realm and Arthur isn't around to <em>attempt</em> competition."</p><p>The party finds a stone monolith on a circular foundation surrounded by a brick ring with celtic runes and patterns etched at its four cardinal directions. A stone pedestal in front.</p><p>"This must be a barrier stone," Lancelot mused. He saw Lamorak move in his peripheral and heard metal clashing, turning to see Lamorak blocking an attack from a great war axe, wielded by Amelia in scrap metal armor. "What is the meaning of this?!"</p><p>"I only serve you as a servant of Arthur but now that he's gone, I can continue my quest to eliminate the Knights of the Round Table!" Amelia declared, leaping back, "Die for England or kneel to Scotland!"</p><p>Sir Lamorak traded weapons with Lancelot, blocking another attack, "Grab Arondight and contain Merlina!"</p><p>Amelia chuckled, "I figured you would stay out of this but I guess you face my wrath with your pitiful axe. Only one blade? Poor thing!"</p><p>"Aren't you like... Three or something?!"</p><p>"Nine and a half," she said casually as she spun, almost catching the knight off guard. With a twist of her wrist, Lamorak was disarmed.</p><p>Lancelot plunged Arondight's blade into the pedestal, glowing orange words displaying on the monolith. "This stone is but part of the ring that sealeth the Dark Hollow," Lancelot read aloud, "Dark Hollow? What is Merlina up to now?"</p><p>Lamorak collided with the monolith, "A... Little assistance...?"</p><p>Lancelot helped Lamorak up and ran over to the discarded axe, passing it to the knight who passed it back. Each pass struck Amelia, distracting her until Lamorak got to her bag and found a red warhammer with bronze engravings.</p><p>Amelia rushed over to her bag, dropping her axe and grabbing her precious hammer. Lancelot retrieved the waraxe but it needed both hands to use...</p><p>Lamorak cought his axe, spinning it to proper position, "1-0. Engarde!"</p><hr/><p>Gawain and Little John entered a temple with viking runes, a monolith stood in the center with a pedestal in front.</p><p>"Here it is!" Gawain exclaimed, plunging the Galatines.</p><p>"Don't dodge the question!" Little John said, ignoring the mission. "We have King Richard in the east and you <em>had</em> King Arthur in the west. Since Arthur was an illusion, shouldn't Richard be your king?"</p><p>"Whoever sits upon the throne of Castle Camelot is my king."</p><p>"But Arthur was never around Castle Camelot unless it was to give orders and there is no Castle Camelot, now, so would you say by your own logic; you never had a king?"</p><p>"I DON'T KNOW, <em>ALRIGHT</em>?!" Gawain shouted, "I'm greatly lost. Arthur might not have been real but our times together before his corruption was real. The idea of a benevolent Arthur is gone. Has been gone for awhile. I'm a knight with no king. I'm less than nothing..."</p><p>John sighed, "Sonic is a knight with no king."</p><p>Sir Gawain pondered.</p><p>"And maybe that's a good thing? He's too young to be a knight but he's doing surprisingly splendid. We should at least give him that credence."</p><p>Orange words began to glow on the monolith.</p><p>Little John squinted, "I don't understand this."</p><p>Gawain smirked and read, "When the sacred sword pierces stone, so shall return the power." He pondered, "What of Excalibur, greatest of all sacred swords? The King wore its scabbard, but I never saw the sword itself..."</p><p>Little John's eyes lit up, "I understand what Nimue was talking about!"</p><hr/><p>The four person party returned to Percival's Volcano, finding a monolith with Latin runes.</p><p>Percival took the cushions off of the pedestal and let Will Scarlet plunge Laevatein into said pedestal.</p><p>"My throne was more important than expected," Percival mused.</p><p>Sir Galahad sighed, "The only reason you're still up here is because I owe Sonic a favor and we're temporarily allied with you and your fellow criminals. I assume our task is done-"</p><p>"Galahad!" Percival scolded, "What has gotten into you lately?!"</p><p>"Aside from our order being a lie, my loyalty to you and my clients remain."</p><p>Gilbert frowned, "Clients?"</p><p>Everyone froze in Galahad's telekinetic grasp, "If we don't gather the Merry Men for the Sheriff of Nottingham, I will take you in as an ally to their treachery!"</p><p>"Sheriff of Nottingham?!" Gilbert and Will exclaimed, wiggling and struggling.</p><p>Sir Percival glared at her pupil, "Where is thou honor?!"</p><p>"Where is yours? Arthur is gone so you move onto the source of his undoing?!" Galahad moved the Merry Men over lava, "I can't decide where my loyalty lies. I've championed the people for little to no coin and if I turn my back on them they'll turn their back when I need them."</p><p>Will rolled his eyes, "That's your logic? The sheriff doesn't care about anybody but himself!"</p><p>The grasp wavered for a bit before holding strong.</p><p>Will Scarlet looked to Percival, "How about a duel? Our rematch; I win and we save the people from King John's tyranny back home, you win and I will personally turn myself in. I can't say much for the others but it's better than empty handed."</p><p>Gilbert nodded, "I will join Mr. Scarlet in that bet. Two is better than one."</p><p>Percival smirked, "Deal. I, Percival, Knight of the Grail accept your challenge!"</p><p>Galahad dropped the two in front of him and passed Will's rapiers to both combatants.</p><p>"En garde!" They both called, rushing at each other.</p><hr/><p>Sonic plunged Caliburn into the pedestal that sat before a large, stone monolith housed in a cave.</p><p>Robbing Hood smiled, holding out his hands, "I'll take some rings, now."</p><p>"Were we being followed?" Sonic asked.</p><p>"No. Nothing like that. See, the longer we help you the harder it is for my more pacifistic crew to help our people. I need some rings to make up for lost times."</p><p>"That makes sense-"</p><p>"SONIC, NO!" Caliburn shouted. "Something seems different about Robbing."</p><p>Sonic tilted his head, "Different how?"</p><p>Before an answer was given, Sonic bent backwards, dodging an attempt to steal his bandana.</p><p>Caliburn couldn't turn from the monolith but his glare could be seen from the reflection the monolith made, "Robbing was genuine about helping his people and assisting the other Merry Men but something about his request leaked ill will as if there was an ulterior motive beyond his usual act."</p><p>Sonic rolled back, holding out a ring as Robbing readied his arrow.</p><p>Sonic scowled, "Aight, what do you intend to you these rings for?"</p><p>Robbing frowned, "You're too young and too alien to be involved in this world's politics-."</p><p>Caliburn scoffed, "Then tell me; do you plan to kill someone with these rings?"</p><p>"Is that even possible?!" Sonic asked in disgust.</p><p>"Close the portal in the right spot and there's a chance someone could be in two places at once."</p><p>Robbing Hood lowered his bow, "I defeated the hand of King John, I just need to go for the head this time."</p><p>Caliburn smiled, "You'll have more time to plan from outside the barrier!"</p><p>Sonic threw a ring under Robbing, making him fall elsewhere as Sonic retrieved Caliburn and entered the portal made in the monolith.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I almost forgot: there's a reason why there's two Amy Rose reps in this Arc.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Knight of The Wind Part 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>N</strong>imue studied her map projected onto her lake's surface, watching as one at a time four beacons illuminated pillars of blue light surrounded by warding seals that connected their barriers.</p><p>From the middle of the map, darkness spread across the land, making contact with the barrier.</p><p>One of the pillars flickered, still active but drawing power from the other beacons, the weak link. Sonic's location!</p><p>"Oh no! The barrier is too weak!" Nimue cried out, "Whatever Sir Sonic is planning, he shall make haste or nothing will stop Merlina..."</p><hr/><p>Sonic looked on towards Merlina's fortress, "It's now or never."</p><p>"Indeed," Caliburn agreed, staring on.</p><p>Sonic dug out some ring but noticed something was different. Most were the gold rings he was familiar with but some had a glittery finish.</p><p>"Fairy dust... There are not many relics that can bone with fairy dust. Save that ring for later," Caliburn said. Sonic added the glitter ring to a side compartment in his ring pouch sewed into his scarf.</p><p>Sonic threw the rings, making them form a line, and light speed dashed on.</p><hr/><p>Sir Lancelot and Sir Lamorak tied Amelia to a tree once she tired out.</p><p>"Knight, go to Galahad. We request his presence."</p><p>Lamorak turned to Lancelot, "Do I look like a carrier pigeon?"</p><p>"Indeed, you do."</p><p>"Assuming I take orders from you, they're on the opposite end of the barrier I would have to go around."</p><p>"What about that ring you have?"</p><p>"What ring?" Lamorak lifted his hand, finding a sparkling ring. "Lancelot. Fairies don't normally help knights like us."</p><p>Lancelot considered his ally's words, "I'll guard Arondight. One of us needs to stay as a last line of defense against threats from either end of the portal. After seeing your skill first-hand, I can say that I may be a great swordsman but you are a great knight."</p><p>Lamorak nodded, throwing a ring to open a portal. Stepping through he saw Galahad telekinetically hold Gilbert Whitehand over a pool of lava while Percival and Will Scarlet kneeled, panting.</p><p>Will turned to Lamorak and narrowed his eyes, nodding.</p><p>Lamorak swung the blunt end of his axe, knocking out Sir Galahad from behind. As Gilbert fell towards the lava, he fired a grappling arrow to which Percival and Lamorak grabbed, helping to pull him up.</p><p>"What brings you to our neck of the... volcano?" Will asked, chuckling nervously.</p><p>"Amelia is a Scottish double agent and the fairies gave me," Lamorak lifted a hand to see more rings, "This isn't over. Anyway, what about you?"</p><p>"Galahad was going to sell us to the Sheriff of Nottingham as well as Percival for collusion. Maybe the other Knights, I don't know."</p><p>"I never trusted his kind."</p><p>Percival walked up with a potato, breaking a piece off for Will, "Great dueling. Are you sure you're not a knight?"</p><p>Will chuckled, "I am what my people need me to be. Wielder of Laevatein must be one."</p><p>Lamorak made another portal, waved to Gawain and Little John as he passed... and then opened another portal where Robbing lunged through.</p><p>Little John got up, holding Robbing by his hood, "What are you doing?!"</p><p>"We need rings to make up for lost time!"</p><p>"No we don't. Let Prince John lower his defense-"</p><p>"The blue brat wouldn't spare a single ring-"</p><p>Suddenly an arrow shot through Robbing, his form dissapated into shadows.</p><p>From atop the barrier stone another Robbing Hood stood.</p><p>"Little John, where is everyone?! You guys left me alone in Nottingham! Then again, with the imposter running around, I wouldn't blame you for leaving me."</p><p>Lamorak looked up, "What is going on?!"</p><p>The teal hedgehog bowed his head, "Robin Hood of the Merry Men. Sir Lamorak, I presume? I heard many great things about you. Too bad your order are a bunch of heartless demons."</p><p>"Sir Lamorak, Knight of Sonic and ally of the Merry Men? I'm still confused?"</p><p>Robin Hood glanced up, "Ally of the what???"</p><hr/><p>Sonic stepped foot in an azure throne room held up by pillars made from rubble. Merlina sat on a throne across the room, holding a chili dog.</p><p>She smiled, "I've been expecting you."</p><p>Sonic glanced over to her hand, "Why do you have a chili dog?"</p><p>Caliburn glared at her, "Why did you do it? Why are you doing this?"</p><p>The sword and knight looked at each other, Sonic sheepishly smiling and Caliburn disappointed in his priorities.</p><p>Sonic glared at Merlina, "Weren't we trying to save this kingdom from the Underworld?"</p><p>"This kingdom will fail one way or another. Such is its fate," Merlina said, standing, "Do you know what is to become of this kingdom?"</p><p>"I don't know," Sonic honestly replied.</p><p>Merlina began walking towards Sonic, "The rift between Gawain and Lancelot shall room the Round Table... Arthur is struck down by his son Mordred, and departs for Avalon."</p><p>Sonic stared for a bit... then tilted his head, "But Arthur doesn't have a son..."</p><p>"...look I'm going to use the Scabbard to create an ideal world instead of one that will lead to ruin and the only way that will work is if the surface world that sealed us in this book trades places with us. Then I will create a kingdom that never ends!"</p><p>Sonic took a step towards Merlina, "What good is a world that never ends?!"</p><p>"My despair runs deeper than the Underworld! Do you not understand?!"</p><p>"No! And I don't want to!" Sonic rushes over to Merlina but his sword attack is deflected by a purple barrier, throwing him onto his back.</p><p>"Your efforts are futile!"</p><p>Sonic gets up, using a rainbow ring for a rainbow ring drill attack but he's thrown back farther than he began, he dug Caliburn into the ground to slow his slide. The chili dog fell at his feet as Merlina charged her power.</p><p>"Enjoy your final meal, my next attack shall be your execution!"</p><p>A blue ghost of King Arthur materialized, whipping blue energy at Sonic.</p><p>Caliburn raised himself up to block the attack, "Sonic!"</p><p>"C-Caliburn?!"</p><p>"You fool! A knight must always be on his guard!"</p><p>With a flick of her wrist, Merlin's cut Caliburn's blade in half, disarming Sonic. The small hedgehog couldn't believe what he saw before him and pulled out a ring, Spin Dashing towards Merlina but her Black Knight deflected Sonic like a ping pong ball to a paddle.</p><p>Sonic lied on the floor, defeated.</p><p>Merlina looked on with piercing amber eyes, her corruption complete. "It is time to end this!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Knight of The Wind Part 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>R</strong>obin Hood was stunned when he heard about what his doppelganger was up to. Most of it was something he would do but what drew him to Camelot of all places?</p><p>A blue portal opened up, Nimue appearing, "Your swords have done what they could. Join me at the lake!"</p><p>Everyone stepped through in time to see Galahad and Amelia being tied to a pillar and magically put to sleep.</p><p>"Fair Lady of the Lake?!" Robin said in surprise.</p><p>She looked at him, "And there's the rest of Robin Hood!"</p><p>Immediately Robin remembered everything he did up until he was imprisoned by Lancelot as well as when Little John broke his double out of the dungeon and everything that happened. The memory began to get blurry as Arthur was defeated, making his copy unstable.</p><p>"How's Sonic faring?" He asked as everyone looked towards the lake.</p><p>"We can now communicate with Sonic," Nimue explained.</p><hr/><p>Blue armored tendrils holding broadswords of the Black Knight surrounded the room, smacking Sonic around and throwing him around the throne room.</p><p>Sonic's screams of pain echoed through the fortress but none can save him.</p><hr/><p>Nimue cried out, "Stop it, Merlina! He's just a child!"</p><p>Percival stepped up, "Sir Sonic, you've done enough!"</p><p>They watched as Sonic used Caliburn's broken blade as a crutch to get back up.</p><p>Lancelot shouted, "No, Sonic! There's no point in continuing!"</p><p>Lamorak tried throwing a fairy ring but a portal refused to open for the knight.</p><p>The rest of the Merry Men rolled up, rushing to the lake and telling Sonic to not fight.</p><p>Little John pointed at Sonic, "Stay down, little buddy! You don't have to prove yourself!"</p><hr/><p>Sonic painfully smirked, "A knight... never... flees... his for, right?"</p><p>Merlina commanded her knight, a sword flipping Sonic like a pancake.</p><hr/><p>"You fool!" Gawain shouted, "This no longer has anything to do with chivalry! You have a whole life ahead of you that you forfeit trying to fight her!"</p><p>"Get out of there! Run!" Robin Hood shouted.</p><hr/><p>Sonic got up, shakily challenging Merlina, "Guys, I'm scared but... but so are my friends... in this world and... my world! If I don't stop Merlina then who will?" Sonic steadied himself, "It was never about chivalry for me. I just gotta do what is needed of me!"</p><hr/><p>The lake began to gain a golden glow.</p><p>"<em>I</em> didn't<em> have</em> THAT <em>much </em>ale~," Galahad said in his sleep.</p><p>Nimue gasped, "The long lost light of the sacred sword! Quick, throw your swords into my lake!"</p><p>Everyone threw their weapons before Nimue held up her hand.</p><p>"The <em>SACRED</em> swords!"</p><p>Lancelot threw in Arondight, Percival dropped Laevatein, and Gawain kissed his Galatines before sending them away. The lake transported the swords away through a portal before shooting out a pillar of golden light.</p><hr/><p>Sonic was covered in a golden light <a href="https://youtu.be/DZX4jHxLcNY">that healed his wounds and summoned golden armor!</a></p><p>The armor formed over his shoes and legs, up his body, covered his arms before a golden helmet fit over his head. Sonic ate a nearby chili dog before he pulled down the face guard as armor protecting his quills spread from the helmet.</p><p>He held out the broken Caliburn, the light mending him as a new blade formed. Sonic held out the golden blade as Caliburn transformed, colorful energy shooting out of the sword.</p><p>Caliburn had become a greater sword with a crowned hilt.</p><p>Nimue was amazed, "That's the greatest of the sacred swords, Excalibur!"</p><p>Sonic made a few practice swings before flying into a pocket dimension Merlina escaped to.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I forgot why I wanted Robbing Hood to be an anti-hero.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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